The Government has approved a plan to establish an advisory group to urgently examine the law governing the sale and consumption of alcohol, Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform Brian Lenihan has confirmed.
The group will examine the increase in the number of supermarkets, convenience stores and petrol stations with off-licences and the manner and conditions of sale of alcohol products. Below-cost selling of alcohol products will also be examined.
Minister for Justice, Brian Lenihan
It will also examine special exemption orders which permit longer opening hours by pubs and clubs.
Applications for such exemptions have increased by 24 per cent between 2001 and 2005, the most recent year for which figures are available. There were more than 93,000 such applications in 2005.
There has been a 17 per cent increase in alcohol consumption over the past 10 years and a 35 per cent increase in the number of off licences between 2003 to 2005, according to the Revenue Commissioners.
Mr Lenihan said: "We have a problem with binge drinking in this country and it is clear that this problem is adding to public disorder.
"I am determined to tackle, as a matter of urgency, the public order aspects of the sale and consumption of alcohol. I have asked the Group to report to me by March 31st 2008 and I intend to bring forward after Easter urgent proposals for changes in the law with a view to enacting new legislation before the summer.
"I hope to frame my proposals in a manner which will attract bipartisan support," he said.
"The Government shares the growing national concern about public order problems resulting from binge drinking and that is why we are taking this action now."
The move has been broadly welcomed but Fine Gael spokesman for justice Charlie Flanagan believes the measures do not go far enough.
"Unfortunately Minister Lenihan has set very strict terms of reference for the review group and I would urge him to expand its remit, including an analysis of the current advertising regulations. Without a realistic framework it is unlikely that the review group's recommendations, when finally published, will be implemented by the current Government.
"It is also deeply ironic that this initiative is coming from a Fianna Fail government that has allowed alcohol to become more widely available than ever before."
The group will hold its first meeting within the next fortnight and report to the Minister by March 31 st.
It will be chaired by Dr Gordon Holmes, former chairman of the Garda Complaints Board.
The other members are: Chief Superintendent John Twomey, An Garda Síochána; Prof Ian O'Donnell, criminologist, University College Dublin; Dr Declan Bedford, specialist in public health, Health Service Executive; Seamus Carroll, Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform; Robbie Breen, Department of Health and Children.