TOPIC:

It's not the most important legislative issue around drink in Ireland, but I've got a bit of a bee in my bonnet about it because it's almost certainly going to become law soon.

Section 16 of the Intoxicating Liquor Act 2008[/url:3u23swwk] can be used to ban buy-something-get-something-free-or-cheaper offers on alcohol (so your 6 world beers for €12 in Superquinn, or four Sierra Nevada for €10) and can also ban supermarket loyalty points from being traded for drink.

It's already on the books but hasn't yet been enabled: it just takes a ministerial order to do it, and the previous government held off, using it as a threat to hold over the supermarkets unless they toed the (already overly prescriptive, IMO) line.

So I was wondering: do people here have strong opinions on this? Might it be worth writing to the new minister outlining why Section 16 shouldn't be enabled?

Sounds like a typical cosmetic piece of legislation to me. It can be used to ban [i:1pwpiwuc]some[/i:1pwpiwuc] forms of special offer but not others. This will be kept in reserve until the next time a misinterpreted, or blatantly agenda driven study is used for a good shock story by the media.

The resultant outcry of concern will be placated by the implementation of this. Buy one get one free will be replaced with 50% off on 4 packs (not for individual sale) and life will go on as normal.

What reasons would you put forward to a new minister, who will be eager to show how concerned he is about alcohol abuse, not to do this? Why he shouldn't use this handy "see I've done something about it" card the previous government was nice enough to leave in his ministerial desk drawer when they left?

Form what I've seen, they're [i:2anud9ir]already[/i:2anud9ir] saying they're going to do this rather than waiting for something to jerk their knee for them. Though that could well be nothing more than election-candidate bluster.

As regards arguments against, with my freshly pressed blue shirt on it's a question of trusting market forces and not regulating more than necessary. We already have [i:2anud9ir]loads[/i:2anud9ir] of laws to help ensure alcohol is sold responsibility. If there's a problem (and don't forget alcohol consumption continues to decline in Ireland) then it should be addressed by enforcing the laws we already have rather than trying to wedge new ones in.

Think your right TBN 'about enforcing existing rather than creating new ones', but sadly I think Sbilings has his finger on the pulse of it.

What better way to get your feet in and under the desk than in your first 100 days to get some new legislation on the books, shows your proactive, serious about getting to grips with Irelands 'drink problem' and ready to act... and what could be nicer than this dusted down, ready-to-go piece of legislation the last crowd left us.. The only complainers will be the sectional interests, no right minded person is going to say we need less control over this substance rather than more...

When if they actually took their head out of their arse and looked at those countries that don't have a 'drink problem' they'd realise they are far more liberal than ourselves, perhaps not in spite of, but beacause of their more lilberal approach..

I hope I am surprised to the contrary...

Well, the fact that we will be ignored is no reason for us not to make our feelings know. I think we should send a letter.

Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond spoke in against putting crazy high prices on drink stating that there's no reason to penalise someone who enjoys a glass of Glenmorangie because of the antics of people getting into fights with bottles of buckie. (you can get in to other discussions and debates about whether drink is the root cause or are there other issues at play of course)

I think the same applies here. Any "problem" would surely be limited to the crap beers and we who like good real beers will get caught in the crossfire - kinda like a punitive tax on all high calorie food to tax fat people for eating too much chocolate or some other such nonsense.

Do they have craft beers in the Dail bar? "lol" as the kids would say. I'd be surprised if a handful of the TDs were aware that there's other Irish stouts beside you-know-what. In one of the throwaway papers I saw support from various political reps for "Arthur's Day".

It's odd that with all the talk of govt. giving a digout to the small business, the medium business and whomever else has a whinge on RTE of a Monday night that noone bothers trying to shed a light on our little corner.


I definitely think ye should send a letter. I'll sign a (physical) petition if there's one going around.

( <!-- s:evil: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_evil.gif" alt="" title="Evil or Very Mad" /><!-- s:evil: --> Grr anyway, I've been enjoying my 4 Sierra Nevadas for a tener in Super Value!)