Public Health Alcohol Bill
Deputy Micheál Martin asks when the withdrawn Public Health (Alcohol) Bill will return. The Taoiseach says the Minister of State intends to reintroduce it quickly and will confirm the exact position later.
Prior to Christmas, there was significant concern and debate on the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill. Following disagreements in the Seanad and Fine Gael Parliamentary Party, the Bill was essentially withdrawn. Will the Taoiseach indicate when it will be brought back for discussion, debate and passage through the House?
Comment on this
The Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Corcoran Kennedy, is dealing with the Bill. I believe she intends to reintroduce it in the House quickly. It was in the Seanad and I will have to confirm to the Deputy whether she wants to continue with it from the point it reached there. The Minister of State did a considerable amount of work on it over the Christmas period and I believe it is her intention to move on with it very quickly. I will confirm that for the Deputy later.