AN alcohol watchdog has
hit out at nightspots it claims have dropped the
price of alcohol to less than €1 per drink.
The North West Alcohol Forum said it knew of "at
least two" venues in Co Donegal that have slashed
drink prices in recent weeks.
The forum's director, Eamon O'Kane, described the
pricing as "dangerous".
“The practice of price dropping to encourage
footfall is a dangerous road to pursue, both in
terms of economics and in terms of social impact.
"While I appreciate that these are difficult trading
times for vintners, the practice of low cost selling
is actually at odds with the call by the Vintners’
Federation of Ireland for a minimum price for
alcohol to help prevent the abuse and misuse of
alcohol and the irresponsible sale and promotion of
alcohol," said Mr O'Kane.
He said cheap alcohol was costing the Irish taxpayer
some €3.7 billion a year.
“In Ireland we have a culture of binge drinking with
more than half of the adult population drinking
hazardously on a regular basis. Cheap alcohol fuels
binge drinking and creates a potential for wider
harm," added Mr O'Kane.
Mr O'Kane cited statistics showing that the number
of off-licences in Ireland grew by 330% between 1998
and 2008 while, in same period, the number of pub
licences dropped by 29%.
“With the off-licence sector accounting for half the
alcohol market, we sympathise with the pressure that
vintners are under, but would caution that low cost
selling is a financially unsustainable approach.
"We would like to see the Irish bar preserved as a
venue for the controlled sale of alcohol and would
therefore ask that vintners work with us to lobby
Government for the introduction of a minimum price
for alcohol,” added Mr O'Kane. |
