Aontú obviously supports this Bill. We support the arrangements to allow for seating in public spaces for pubs and restaurants without a need to license it. There is a big question here regarding what is happening our pubs in this country. There is a significant fall-off in the number of pubs on an annual basis. There is a significant change in the social behaviour of society. More alcohol is sold in off-licenses every year and less alcohol is sold in pubs every year, and that is bad thing. A pint sold in a pub is a healthier, safer and more beneficial pint because we are becoming an isolated society. People’s mental health is suffering as a result of people not socialising enough in Irish society at the moment. When people consume alcohol alone at home, it is not good for their health or mental health. The heart and soul of towns and villages in this country are being gutted because restaurants and pubs are closing at such a rate. It is time for the Government to realise that we should levy less tax on a pint sold in a bar compared to a can sold in a petrol station because they are two completely separate things. Not only is a pint sold in a bar better for people’s mental health and the social well-being of the community, it also generates employment within that pub. For far too long, this Government and previous governments have attacked pubs in this sense and that needs to be changed. The last point I will make on this, which is important, is that we need to start talking about parking spaces in towns. Some of these locations take up a parking space, which is fine in some cases, but many of our towns and villages are dying currently because people cannot get into them because of massive traffic congestion and the lack of parking spaces. As a result, people are going online and buying their content there. There is a lot for the Government to think about in relation to this legislation.

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