FF deputy criticises low-priced alcohol in stores

DÁIL REPORT:ALCOHOL IS so cheap in supermarkets that publicans are buying certain brands of drink from stores rather than from wholesalers, the Dáil has heard.

"This form of pricing on the part of retailers is adding to the culture of excessive drinking we have seen develop in recent years," said Seán Connick (FF, Wexford) during the ongoing Dáil debate on the Intoxicating Liquor Bill, which aims to curb public order problems from excess drinking.

Welcoming proposals in the legislation to restrict alcohol promotions and reduced-price sales, Mr Connick said that "if members of the public are able to buy drinks from a supermarket cheaper than a publican can buy them in a wholesaler, we have to assume this is encouraging people to purchase far more alcohol than they normally would." He called for the Garda to "vigorously target" any off-licence offering a service where customers could phone in an order, have it delivered and pay for it on arrival. "This form of delivery service makes the task of preventing minors from purchasing alcohol far more difficult."

He said the Government had been left with no choice but to introduce legislation to regulate people's access to alcohol.

"In a mature society, there should be no need for Government to regulate people's private lives and every citizen should be free to drink alcohol responsibly. Unfortunately, as we have shown in recent years, a growing number of people are not prepared to take personal responsibility for their drinking and for their actions while under the influence of alcohol."

Deirdre Clune (FG, Cork South Central) said the abolition of the groceries order "has resulted in the proliferation of below-cost selling of alcohol. Multiples in the area I live sell a number of brands of beer for less than €1 and they have special offers for weekends, barbecue nights and bank holiday weekends. Like it or not, young people are getting their hands on these products, leading to long-term damage in many cases."

Ms Clune warned that "children are not innocent". She attended a meeting organised by the local drugs taskforce last year and was "alarmed when someone showed us Jaffa Cakes and jelly beans soaked in vodka. Parents need to be aware of these products." She said that "if parents approached this issue with such awareness, they would be more in tune with what their children can get up to".

Tom Hayes (FG, Tipperary South) "called for more presence and a different direction from the Garda". He believed "someone has taken the policy decision that gardaí should be in groups of two or three in a squad car or on country roads, but they should be on the streets in order to be effective. Unless that decision is made, we are not serious about tackling the problem".

Brendan Kenneally (FF, Waterford) commended Dr Gordon Holmes and the alcohol advisory group on their work, "but elected members, through our unique experience, have a valuable role to play as well". He was "concerned about the number of reports in other areas that have been introduced by unelected people and which are slavishly implemented".

He said "we have had reports produced on behalf of vested interests and if advisers are paid enough, they will provide whatever advice one wants and the conclusion one requires". This "is not the case today, but we have seen instances in the past where there has been a rush to legislate on less than reliable evidence".