Underage drinkers exploit online sales

THE Government has admitted it is effectively powerless to stop off-licences selling alcohol to underage drinkers on a cash-on-delivery basis.

Last night’s Primetime programme on RTÉ showed a number of off-licences in Swords in north Dublin to be illegally accepting payment at the door of private dwellings from underage drinkers who had phoned in the order.

Two supermarkets — Superquinn and Tesco — were also shown in the programme to have made deliveries to underage drinkers after the orders had been made online using a debit card.