Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

In 2004, the smoking ban was introduced. It certainly had an impact on the publican side of DIGI's trade. In 2008, the transport Act reduced the consumption of alcohol for drivers to one drink. In the way that the smoking ban is travelling east out of Ireland, what the Swedes introduced is travelling west. It is only a matter of time before there will be no acceptable level of alcohol in the blood for drivers in the same way that smoking is not tolerated. There was also a massive economic collapse in that period of time and people substantially changed their drinking habits with a move to off-licence sales, whether the big retailer or the local corner shop. I note consumption is now at the European norm. Is the drinking pattern at the European norm as well? Not to give the impression that I am an international pub visitor, but there is a difference when one goes to France. Where somebody might pay €7 for a glass of wine, he or she will sit outside that pub all night with it. They are not like Paddy who goes to the pub and will drink five or six pints. The French or German drinker will sit in the pub and will nurse that glass of wine for three or four hours. It is incredible. The Italians are the same. Many publicans in Ireland remark on this. When Europeans come into their pub, the publicans say, they nurse a glass, not a pint, of Beamish between four of them. Has the behaviour changed somewhat here as well? Are we now drinking like Europeans where our consumption is more at home than outside?