Quinn: Get Diageo to fund A&E wards on Arthur's Day

A Cabinet minister has said Diageo should be asked to cover some of the extra costs of running Accident and Emergency departments on Arthur's Day.

Ruairí Quinn said the public should not be left out of pocket if public services are stretched as a result of the promotion.

Today marks the fifth annual Arthur's Day, an event originally held four years ago to mark the 250th birthday of the Guinness Brewery.

However, Mr Quinn said if the event is going to remain an annual occasion, there should be a system to monitor its impact on hospitals.

He said: "If this is going to be a recurring event, there should be an accountancy system put in place that would enable somebody to take out that cost, so we don’t overload.

"But if there is a spike in the normal traffic coming through in the Accident and Emergency in our hospitals that should be monitored as well."

The company is to foot the bill for the extra gardaí who will be drafted onto the streets of Cork city tonight to police the celebrations, according to The Evening Echo.

The extra gardaí are being drafted in to prevent public order issues, which escalated during the event last year.

Cork's Mercy University Hospital had almost 20 ambulance trips and 40 drink-related cases admitted during Arthur’s Day celebrations in the city last year.