The power under subsection (5) to smash everything up fascinates me.
SECTION 88.
Question proposed: "That section 88 stand part of the Bill."
It refers to better quality poitín.
What quantities of poitín were seized in the past five years?
We are still drinking our way through it to find out the exact amount.
One night on the RTE news in its early days there was an item which showed gardaí from Galway smashing up a few barrels of poitín. I am sure it was all set up for the cameras.
Pour encourager les autres.
However, I have not heard of such actions in the past few years. Have there been any great seizures over the past few years?
I presume what is shown by RTE is made at Ardmore Studios under the direction of the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Michael Higgins.
Chairman
Have we ever thought of legalising it?
We have.
There have been proposals. It raises questions of quality control.
Chairman
When I was Minister for Justice I was on holidays in Carna for two weeks and on the day I left I got ten different presents of bottles of poitín.
This is a serious matter. It was before the era of political correctness because he could not accept it now.
Ethics in public office.
It was for the greyhounds.
Question put and agreed to.
Sections 89 to 91, inclusive, agreed to.