Cork councillor criticised for suggesting drinking age be reduced to 16

Independent Cllr Thomas Maloney said he thought the motion to reduce the minimum legal drinking age from 18 to 16 was a misprint

It comes as a report showed a significant jump in 15-24 year-olds who don't drink alcohol - from 11% in 2002 to 26% in 2019. File photo: David Jones/PA

A Fine Gael councillor has been criticised for suggesting the legal age for drinking alcohol be reduced to 16.

Implementing Cllr Shane O’Callaghan’s idea could open “a pandora’s box”, the Lord Mayor of Cork, Fianna Fáil's Colm Kelleher warned. Several councillors said doing so would send out the wrong message about alcohol at a time when public health policy is trying to reduce the availability of alcohol to young people.