The Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, said today that encouraging smaller licensed premises within local communities would help curb public disorder due to alcohol abuse.
Mr McDowell was addressing an international conference on alcohol consumption in Dublin entitled Ethical Principles of Alcohol in Society.
The conference is being held by the National college of Ireland and the International Centre for Alcohol Policies.
He did not, however, accept that the increased availability of alcohol was the single cause of alcohol consumption increase in Ireland.
"I note, for example, that between 1989 and 1999, alcohol consumption per capita in Ireland increased by 41 per cent. This is worrying, but it cannot be attributed to the longer opening hours.
"However, there can be no doubt that the drinks industry, in its attempt to capture market share, is pushing the boundaries of what is acceptable in terms of identifying consumption of alcohol with being 'cool', self-confident, or sexy, said Mr McDowell.
He also said that scarcity has created an artificial and undesirable market in pub licences and this in turn has led to the development of very large drinking establishments as the owners attempt to recover their initial outlay.
"These large establishments not only create noise and nuisance for local residents, but make controls on underage drinking more difficult to enforce," said Mr Mcdowell.
The impact of advertising and the promotion of alcohol products were highlighted by the Minister as causing particular concern.
"A disturbing practice that has become more common in recent times involves payment of a cover charge to gain entry to licensed premises in conjunction with reduced prices for alcoholic drinks," he said. "It would appear that this is designed to encourage excessive alcohol consumption."