Madam, - I very rarely find myself in disagreement with Minister McDowell, or indeed in agreement with Ivana Bacik (Letters, May 30th), but on the issue of pub opening hours, both of these criteria are met.
The restriction of pub opening times is the single most effective contributor to drunken violence on our streets; it not only encourages drinking at a dangerously fast pace, but also releases the consequently drunken hordes onto our streets in perfect tandem.
More liberal licensing laws encourage a more social and responsible attitude towards drink, as is in evidence in the drinking cultures of mainland Europe.
Restrictive access is not a means of rehabilitation, but rather a means of encouraging over-indulgence. - Yours, etc,
MARK A. PERRY, Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, UK.
Madam, - I believe that one of the biggest problems that needs to be overcome in order to tackle the drink problem in Ireland is to break the cycle of the "rounds" system. If four people go out together, it is almost invariable that at least four drinks will be consumed.
One solution to this problem could be the introduction of the tab system.
While this would not probably work in the overcrowded, standing-room-only bars in Dublin, in other areas, table service could be encouraged. This allows people to order what they wish to drink, and not be pressured into keeping up with the heavier drinkers in the group. Everyone is responsible for their own proportion of the tab at the end of the evening. The Government could encourage every bar to maintain a "lounge" area where table service and tabs are provided.
Since moving to Vancouver three years ago, I have been much relieved by the absence of such pressure as a result of most bars having such a system. - Yours, etc.,
MAREESE KEANE, Willow Leaf Place, Burnaby, BC V5A 4A5, Canada.