Letters to the Editor: Minimum pricing for alcohol is robbery

The only people benefiting from setting a floor pricing on alcohol selling is the Government, says one correspondent. Picture: RollingNews.ie

Saying the measure to set a floor price for all alcohol products under which they cannot be sold is designed to reduce the harms caused by the misuse of alcohol and delay young people beginning to consume (Minimum alcohol pricing begins: How much will your drinks cost? Irish Examiner, Jan 4) is a poor excuse in order to take more money from the public unfairly.

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly should be aware that for those with addiction, the lack of the substance could and can lead to injury, withdrawal-related injuries, costing our already overwhelmed health system more funds, and possibly more pressure on medical staff. Irrational decision making in order to desperately obtain it could also peak crime rates, which could, and probably will, cost the tax payer more.

I believe that this will be an opportunity for those affiliated to gangs and crime to sell alcohol cheaper than shops, impacting our local shops, whilst inflating crime rates.

As an adult who drinks only during the festivities, the only people benefiting from this is the Government. Using the criteria that it harms underage children does not solve and will not solve underage drinking.

I believe a detailed explanation of where the Government intend investing this extra revenue is owed to the public, it is only right, as this is the public’s money.

It’s robbery. Justify this type of inflation by invest ing in our health system and youth services/activities instead.

Kirsty-Ellen McKenna

Bray

Co Wicklow

Enforce law on sales, not penalise moderate drinkers

The implementation of minimum unit pricing for alcohol sales is unlikely to be the answer to alcohol abuse. Reams of legislation pertaining to curbing excessive and underage drinking has received Cabinet approval many times,

and the problem remained, principally for lack of enforcement. In 2000, it was agreed, after an intensive process of consultation with interest groups and the public, to do away with restrictive legislation governing access to the drinks market.

Why drag us back to the era of restrictive practices and high prices? Why should law-abiding responsible consumers be deprived of reasonably priced alcohol because ofGovernment failure to have its own legislation enforced?

The introduction of penal minimum priced alcohol will encourage many consumers to purchase their alcohol across the border, over the Irish Sea or on the continent of Europe.

Many would reject Government claims that alcohol in this country is cheap.

Surely the principle factor in determining whether an item is cheap or expensive is whether consumers can afford to purchase the product? No doubt, from the perspective of members of the Oireachtas, alcohol is cheap, but for many of us the cost of alcohol is prohibitive. Those of us on fixed incomes, and particularly the aged, will be forced to pay prices which will be out of the reach of many. The solution to this problem lies in more vigilant parenting and enforcement of the laws.

Why should moderate drinkers, who make up the vast majority of consumers, be made suffer for the state’s failure to enforce the law on alcohol sales?

Tom Cooper

Templeogue

Dublin 6w

Department of joined up thinking? Cheers

The new pricing of drink in supermarkets is absolutely a joke — once again the Government is interfering in people’s lives.

The increase in the price of a can of beer will not save one life but may put family budgets into difficulty.

The German and UK superstores that trade on this island get to repatriate more money on the backs of our citizens.

Is there any hope we could get a department of joined up thinking, and stop making fools of our citizens for the sake of the PC brigade.

Aidan McDonogh

Currabeg

Ovens

Co Cork

This State intrusion is hard to swallow

Minimum pricing is an absolute disgrace — while our self-serving officials can’t even pay their Dáil bar bills despite discount rates, the common people of Ireland are walked on again and again.

Not satisfied with destroying the percentage of businesses in the hospitality industry, the Government now interferes in our private life.

Joseph Kennedy

Summerhill Terrace

Cork

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School staff deserve more protection

School closures are extremely difficult for children and parents alike. The Government is dealing with the pandemic very well. Our vaccination programme has been, by any objective international standard, utterly stellar. So I for one am baffled as to why we have reopened our primary schools just before we vaccinate primary school children.

The “schools are safe” magical incantation has no scientific basis and it makes no sense to re-open the primary schools now, says one correspondent.

The “schools are safe” magical incantation has no scientific basis and it makes no sense to re-open the primary schools now when they are such an obvious hole in our public health dam. School staff have been superb throughout the pandemic. Day-in, day-out, for two years they have rigorously and enthusiastically performed suppression and containment measures for our children — and therefore for us. They deserve more support and protection than we are giving them.

Michael Deasy

Bandon

Co Cork

One policy for US, another for them

It has been reported that the United States of America will not include, Ethiopia, Mali and Guinea in trade agreements due to what the US considers to be their “gross violation of internationally recognised human rights”.

Interesting, when we consider the US continues to hold individuals in Guantanamo Bay in violation of their basic human rights and in contravention of the Geneva Accord. It seems US policy is “do not do as we do — do as we say”.

Michael A Moriarty

Rochestown

Cork

Munster: The coach has already departed

After a lifetime in business, there’s a saying that a person leaves mentally long before they leave physically. So now in Munster rugby we have top coaches who have not only left mentally but also announced to the public that they are leaving physically, and the players and supporters are being left to believe that we will get good results by the end of this season. The brave and faithful are, it seems, shamelessly being nudged to become the hopeful and naive. Indeed, who in Munster RFC will stand up?

Michael Bourke

Dublin 8

Kim — one ‘leader’ we could do without

North Korea leader Kim Jong-un looks like a smiling clown, but in reality only the clown part is true if he is going to test more missiles. He has fired what is believed to be a ballistic missile into the ocean.

Given that many of his people are starving, is this some weird fishing expedition or is it just the usual provocation of Japan and the rest of the world? Missiles cost millions and the money could be used to feed his people instead.

Why are so many despots concerned with spending big money on weapons that if used would lead to their country being flattened in a day by whoever they attack? They could spend money on their citizens so that those waving flags in support might be smiling because they have full bellies rather than a fear of being shot if they don’t smile enough.

This is one leader the world would be better without.

Dennis Fitzgerald

Melbourne

Australia