TOPIC:

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/minister-wan...-alcohol-524777.html">www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/mini ... 24777.html

Another government, another misguided alcohol policy.

Newcaster on the radio at lunchtime had the right idea: our societal relationship with alcohol needs to be change, not the prices or availability.

Is there any consumer lobby group that would make representations to the Drugs Minister?

[quote:32qorfh8]Recently one of the supermarkets was selling two bottles of [b:32qorfh8]wine[/b:32qorfh8] for a fiver. Now, you know, that's less than the actual excise duty on those bottles of [b:32qorfh8]wine[/b:32qorfh8][/quote:32qorfh8] <!-- s:shock: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_eek.gif" alt=":shock:" title="Shocked" /><!-- s:shock: --> Not having a go at beer, for once.

But yes: daft policy and a long way from addressing the actual problem set out in the report mentioned.

Another moment of "lets copy whatever policy is knocking around in the UK" genius.

This makes me very angry!

I thought our government already got in trouble for this with the EU before?

The only good to come of this article is finding out we have a minister for drugs, however she seems to be less than useless in her backward view of alcohol policy.

You have to remember that the primary role of government is to find new and innovative ways to create more tax.

&amp;quot;Andrew&amp;quot;:3jjrp1sv wrote: You have to remember that the primary role of government is to find new and innovative ways to create more tax.[/quote:3jjrp1sv]

I agree that is what they believe is their primary raison d'etre, however she was saything there should be a minimum charge on the alcohol + the alcohol levy/tax, thus not really increasing her own pension fund, just increasing the [low-cost] producer's profit.