US state with a hard lesson for publicans

VINTNERS Federation president Paul Stevenson recently said in reference to the appointment of the head of the Road Safety Association — “who, in their right mind, would appoint someone over pension age?”

I wonder if he thinks that the Chief Justice, John Murray, should resign or that Justice Catherine McGuinness, born in 1934, is too old to think about subtle legal issues.

His brilliant suggestion that public transport be provided for those who over-indulge would tend to keep the drink flowing, which is the aim of the drinks industry and the vintners.

Here is another suggestion. Even though I am of pension age, Gay Byrne might listen to it.

In Massachusetts, where I was a publican, there is a ‘dramshop law’ under which the publican who sells drink to a customer who becomes intoxicated and subsequently causes harm is financially responsible for the damages.

It works like a charm and virtually eliminates public binge drinking. No bar-owner will sell to an intoxicated person. Publican insurance against this is astronomical and hence most publicans do not carry it. They send their bar- servers to school to learn how to identify and deal with intoxicated people.

Such a law would certainly work in Ireland, although our love of binge drinking, and the publicans, would keep it from being enacted.

Orin Flint

Mill Cove

Rosscarbery

Co Cork