Fresh blow to McDowell’s café bars campaign

JUSTICE Minister Michael McDowell’s plans to introduce café-style bars to tackle binge drinking will only make the problem worse, according to the Government’s foremost alcohol adviser.

Dr Ann Hope, the national alcohol policy adviser at the Department of Health, said the suggestion that providing more outlets for selling alcohol would contain the problem is in conflict with scientific evidence

“Café bars are not going to reduce binge drinking; you just cannot parachute in a culture from one country into another. And to suggest that providing more outlets for selling alcohol would contain the problems doesn’t make sense, and goes against the scientific evidence,” she said.

Dr Hope’s comments follow similar warnings by Dr Joe Barry, a public health expert and member of the National Drugs Strategy Team, and the Irish Medical Organisation.

All say the Intoxicating Liquor Bill contradicts Government policy on combating alcohol-related problems - which cost the State an estimated €2.65 billion a year.

They criticise the proposal to create a new licence for continental-style café bars, small outlets which would serve both alcohol and hot food - the hope being that food would inhibit binge drinking.

But the net effect would be to increase the number of outlets selling alcohol - against the advice of the Strategic Task Force on Alcohol, established in 2002 by the Health Department.

Both Dr Hope and Dr Barry were members of the group, which recommended restricting availability in line with World Health Organisation guidelines and best scientific evidence.

Mr McDowell has repeatedly dismissed concerns about the café bar idea, which emanated from the Commission on Liquor Licensing, an advisory group established by the Department of Justice in 2000.

The commission believed café bars “may provide an atmosphere and ambience that encourages moderate social consumption”.

But Dr Hope says there is “absolutely no evidence” to support this theory.

She agrees with the IMO that in its current form the bill will increase alcohol-related harm.

“I do think there will be consequences for the next decade and beyond in Ireland, because once this (bill) falls into place, we’re going to be really picking up the pieces.”