Lenihan to tackle drinking culture
Off-licence opening may be curbed in clampdown
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Monday July 30 2007
CURBS on off-licence opening times have been signalled in a bid to tackle our rampant drink culture.
The move by Justice Minister Brian Lenihan comes as concern mounts over the damage caused by excessive drinking to health and in social and economic terms.
The measures - likely to come in the autumn - reflect Government worries that the widespread availability of drink is a contributory factor to the worsening problem of lawlessness and street violence.
The minister says he will have discussions with his Cabinet colleagues on the introduction of measures to restrict the "visibility" of alcohol and will also be having the issue examined independently. While Mr Lenihan is holding fire about the specific measures he plans, it is likely he will introduce restrictions on off-licence opening times.
"Drink has become far too easily accessible. We have to look at the point of sale," he told the Irish Independent.
"If the conclusion of our examination is that steps should be taken to curb off-licences, then we will act on that," he said.
At present, off-licences can open at 7.30am - three hours before pubs - from Monday to Thursday. They are allowed open for 14 hours - from 10.30am to 12.30am - on Fridays and Saturdays and, again like pubs, from 12.30pm to 11pm on Sundays.
The drink issue is being given early priority by the new minister as problems of rowdyism escalate, drink-driving is still widespread and studies show the prevalence of drink in suicide cases.
Around 400 drink driving cases a week are still being dealt with by the gardai, who are also having to deal with nore and more drink-related crime on the streets.
A study in Louth, Meath and Cavan published at the weekend shows 93pc of men under 30 who committed suicide had alcohol in their system while 20pc of patients who died by suicide had a history of alcohol abuse.
Ireland has consistently figured near the top of the European drinking league.
Mr Lenihan added: "We have quite disturbing reports, not only from Dublin but also from provincial towns, of an alarming growth in the pattern of disorderliness.
"In this department, we are seeing an amount of violent behaviour stemming from alcohol-related offences. So clearly there is a need to promote a culture that discourages that kind of thing," he said.
"Not all problems are caused by drink, of course. A lot result from drugs. But it is all stemming from a pattern of addiction and I think it has to be addressed," he said.
The minister says publicans are too often easily blamed for the escalating problem.
"I think the publicans and the on-licence trade have been unfairly targeted as the prime culprits in promoting our alcohol culture," he said.
"It has always been part of our culture that a social drink is acceptable and I am not questioning that," he said.
"But the fact remains that persistent drinking is an addiction and drug-taking is a further problem on top of that," he said.
He says there are "very few drug addicts who do not start with alcohol".
Referring to the Archbishop of Dublin Dr Diarmuid Martin's call for a crime summit, the minister said: "I don't think we need a summit to tell us there is a problem in this area."
- Gene McKenna
