Call for changes on sale of alcohol

ALCOHOL sold in off-licences should be packaged in containers bearing the name of the outlet, gardaí said yesterday.

The call was made as part of a number of policies targeting alcohol abuse and related crime adopted by the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) at the closing day of their annual conference.

The motion was put down by gardaí attached to Dublin south central, the division where a young man was viciously assaulted last Sunday.

Branch delegate Walter Kilcullen said these steps would enable gardaí to trace where under-age drinkers were buying alcohol.

“Most suppliers of alcohol are responsible but there is a section that causes problems for society,” said Mr Kilcullen.

He said only people aged 18 or over should be allowed to sell alcohol in off-licences, supermarkets and pubs.

“Vulnerable young people are employed when they should be engaged in their formal education. These young people are under peer pressure to supply intoxicating liquor to their friends.”

Mr Kilcullen also called on parents to exercise responsibility for their children’s behaviour and not to allow them drink alcohol in the house unless they were present.

Another motion called for 15 to 18- year-olds to be banned from pubs without the consent of a parent and to be banned from a pub altogether after 8pm.

“We have a situation where 15 to 18-year-olds can remain on the premises until the early hours of the following morning,” said John Gibbons of the Laois/Offaly branch.

“I feel that having the 15-to-18 age group on the premises is an introductory period for them to abuse alcohol. It’s from this loophole that many of our public order alcohol offences occur.”

He said statistics showed that about 80,000 public order offences were detected in a 12-month period, consisting of assaults, public drunkenness and threatening behaviour.

“From a policing and enforcement point of view we have situations where under 18s mingle with adults consuming what looks like orange or coke, but which in fact is laced with gin, vodka, Bacardi and many other spirits.”

The conference also passed a motion which called for legislation to control the opening hours of fast-food outlets.

“There are no time limits for such businesses and this leads to uncontrolled crowds of young persons on our streets which leads to late night disorder and disturbance, all of which stems from the abuse of alcohol,” Mr Gibbons said.