Yesterday, Alcohol Action Ireland held a conference in Dublin entitled "Girls, Women and Alcohol: The changing nature of female alcohol consumption in Ireland". The speakers outlined the serious impact of too much alcohol on women, especially on those who are pregnant and their babies, and warned of the link between alcohol and cancer. At the weekend, we learned that cancer survival rates in the State are among the lowest in Europe. These all require the speedy introduction of legislation. The public health (alcohol) Bill has been dithering for a very long time. Can we be told when it will be published?

The Criminal Justice (Spent Convictions) Bill is on Report Stage and a number of amendments have been tabled for discussion. Hopefully, it can be concluded reasonably quickly. The public health (alcohol) Bill is at pre-legislative scrutiny stage with the Oireachtas committee, which has already considered some elements of it. It will meet again tomorrow to consider the matter further and it is moving through the system.

Yesterday, the Government considered the report from NewERA in respect of RTE and matters relevant to it. The Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources was very clear that a replacement for the television licence will not be introduced in this Government's time because great consideration must be given to the fact that our country has become multimedia in so many respects and we are not dealing just with television. Anything to be done there would be a replacement for a television licence scheme. The Bill will not happen until proper consideration has been given to the reports on public broadcasting and how taxpayers' money is used for it and the implications for the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland. The Minister will bring a memo to the Government in due course when RTE reports to him following the publication and debate of the two reports that were published.