The chairman of the National Off-Licence Association has warned that proposals to liberalise off-licensed sales could lead to a situation which would be impossible to police. Mr Jimmy Redmond said price inflation would also follow greater liberalisation.
"At the present time there are insufficient Garda Siochana resources to combat the growing problem of alcohol abuse and if the sale of alcohol is to be extended to a wider number of mixed retailers, it will be impossible to police," he said. The National Off-Licence Association represents 300 independent retailers.