Most off-sales ‘for young drinkers’

UP TO 80% of off-licence sales at the weekend are for underage drinkers, gardaí said yesterday.

The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) wants the Government to cut the opening hours of all off-licences.

"There is a need to reduce the opening hours of off-licences, where 70%-80% of the weekend business is juvenile-related," said a spokesman for AGSI.

"That includes both under-18s and older people buying alcohol for them and giving it to them."

He said the figure was an estimate based on the experience of members working in that area.

In a submission to the Government, AGSI also wants:

* The supply of alcohol to minors to be made an arrestable offence.

* CCTV cameras to be mandatory inside and outside premises.

* Products to be labelled with the shop of origin.

The submission was made by AGSI to the mid-term review of the National Drugs Strategy last week.

"The supply of alcohol to minors is a cause of concern. Alcohol is the entry-level drug for most and a significant factor in public order problems," said the AGSI spokesman.

He said the supply of alcohol to minors was not an arrestable offence.

"It would indicate to the public the seriousness of the offence. Arrestable offences also carry a heavier penalty, so this might have a bearing on penalties."

AGSI also wants bottles and cans to be labelled to identify the origin.

"It would help to trace where the supplies are coming from and take measures to deal with it."

Jim McCabe of NOfLA, the body representing off-licences, said they would go along with reducing opening hours as long as it was across the board.

"The only concern we would have it that there would be a level playing pitch and that specialised off-licences don't have shorter hours than multi-stores or supermarkets."

He rejected the estimate of 70-80%, saying it was closer to 1%.

Mr McCabe said gardaí should be able to arrest those involved in secondary purchasing by adults for minors but not members of staff. He said labelling was not practical and would not show who bought the product.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Justice said it has no plans to reduce opening hours.

She said the issue of traceability was of dubious value from a legal and practical viewpoint.