Publishing a draft of the Intoxicating Liquor/Public Order Bill 2008 in Government Buildings, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and Minister for Justice Brian Lenihan said Irish society needed to address the problems arising from excessive consumption of alcohol.
“We need to examine our acceptance of heavy drinking and the signal that this is sending, particularly to our young people,” Mr Ahern said.
"We're not attempting to stop drinking, do away with drinking or adopt a do-good attitude," he added. "We're concerned about problems relating to people drinking to get drunk, which seems to be more of an Irish phenomenon."
Mr Ahern said that drafting of the bill was at an advanced stage and he hoped its contents would be enacted by the Oireachtas before the summer recess. The bill draws on the recommendations contained in the report of the Government-appointed Alcohol Advisory Group, whose report is also published today.
Under the new proposed legislation, the sale of alcohol in off-licences will be allowed only between 10.30am and 10pm, instead of between the hours of 7.30am and 12.30am.
The draft bill also proposes that alcohol products sold in supermarkets and convenience stores must be displayed and sold in a specified area which is structurally separated from the rest of the premises. Where separation is not possible, alcohol products must be displayed and sold from behind a counter.
It is also proposed to reforms existing licensing laws, which permit the District Court to grant special exemption orders to nightclubs and late bars. CCTV systems will have to be installed nightclubs and late bars and gardai will be given increased powers to object to late licences based on public order grounds.
Theatres, which current may keep their bars open beyond normal licensing hours without having to obtain special exemption, will have to apply for such exemptions in future.
The Garda will receive new powers to seize bottles or containers of alcohol from anybody who appears to be under 18 years. They will also be allowed to seize alcohol from “where there is a reasonable apprehension of public disorder”.
The draft bill also proposes to restrict alcohol promotions and reduced price sales and discounts.
Mr Lenihan said on-the-spot fines would also be introduced for those found drunk or disorderly in a public place. Legislation passed in recent years – but never implemented – provides for fines of up to €200 for those involved in disorderly conduct or who are intoxicated in a public place. Mr Lenihan said this law will be implemented over the coming months.
However, a number of key proposals from the Alcohol Advisory Group were not adopted by the Government.
These include proposals to increase the minimum age for selling alcohol in off-licences to 21 years and to limit the opening hours of fast-food outlets. Mr Lenihan said these measures had not been ruled out and would be considered again at a later stage.
Mr Lenihan said the draft proposal “is not some kill-joy measure conjured up by a nanny-state Government.
“Far from it. It is a response to a very significant problem of alcohol abuse which is leading to public disorder and exacerbating our crime problem."
On the proposal to take alcohol from under-18s, and issue on the spot fines for people to be intoxicated in a public place, Mr Lenihan said: "Communities all over Ireland are tired of young people - and those in their 20s and 30s - openly consuming alcohol in public places.
“The gardai have to have power to deal with this.... gardai have to have this power on a general basis. The normal process of arrest, charge and caution would put an impossible burden on our judicial and police system."
Source: Carl O'Brien & Patrick Logue, The Irish Times, 23/04/2008
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