Alan Farrell (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Professor Barry referred to traceability. When I was a councillor, Fingal County Council introduced by-laws allowing gardaí to confiscate any alcohol that was found to be open in a public place. This approach has since been adopted across the State. Local authorities had a key role in instigating action to curb alcohol consumption in public places by allowing the Garda Síochána to take the problem out of the hands of youngsters who may be drinking in fields and so on.

Are statistics available on the likely costs of traceability measures for the off-licence industry? I expect the producers of alcohol products would not be liable for the costs. Attaching a sticker to a can would not be a solution. The label would have to be permanent, rather than a label that could be peeled off. The position regarding placing a label on a bottle is somewhat different as people are less likely to be on a beach with a €25 bottle of spirits than they are with a can. How much would such a measure cost?