Gardaí probe alcohol sales to minors

Eight Limerick pubs and off-licences were found selling alcohol to under- aged persons in a Garda operation carried out over the first nine months of this year.

Chief Superintendent David Sheahan yesterday told a meeting of the County Limerick Joint Policing Committee (JPC) that 29 licensed premises were visited and eight were found breaking the law.

During each visit a young person, accompanied by an adult, went to buy alcohol.

Chief Supt Sheahan said a similar operation was carried out in 2011 and the pattern of non-compliance was at the same level.

He said: “A feature of our findings is that all premises carried notices, prominently displayed, stating drink would not be sold to persons under the age of 18.

“The biggest difficulty it seems is creating awareness among staff on the imperative of demanding proper identification and if in doubt ask for ID.

“Most of the problems arose in off-licences rather than on-licence premises.

“We have prosecuted a number of the eight and premises have been closed for specified periods and we are preparing for court in other cases.

“As well as returning to the eight premises found in breach, we also went back to those who were compliant and told them of the operation and they were very appreciative of what the gardaí were doing.”

Niall Collins, Fianna Fáil spokesman on justice, said the operation was “very worthwhile” and called for similar endeavours to be rolled out to fight against under age drinking.

“The message has to be driven home that the sale of drink to young people is totally unacceptable and those who do so must face the consequences,” he said.

“We have called on the HSE to attend our next meeting, so we can get their perspective of the problem. I also feel I would call on the new junior minister at the Department of Health, Alex White, to press ahead as a matter of urgency the work of his predecessor, Róisín Shortall, in dealing with the minimum price situation regarding alcohol.”