Wine on Good Friday: judge’s comments play into hands of drinks lobby

JUDGE Mary Fahy has described the prosecution of restaurants that sell alcohol on Good Friday as being ludicrous and ridiculous and that people are entitled to have wine with their meals “even on Good Friday”.

I’m sure I am not alone in believing that if the law is to be flouted and restaurants are allowed to serve alcohol on Good Friday without fear of prosecution, then as certain as night follows day, the Irish drinks industry will campaign to have the law changed to permit pubs and off-licences to open on Good Friday. While the judge’s statements have given rise to certain other issues, the nub of the question is whether or not the drinks industry is to be allowed to market its highly addictive and health-damaging products to whoever it pleases, where it pleases and when it pleases.

As a society, we are in denial about the appalling consequences of alcohol abuse for hundreds of thousands of alcohol-dependent individuals of all ages and social classes, for their families and friends, for their employers and their work colleagues.