Tony Gregory (Dublin Central, Independent)

If the proposed introduction of café bars was motivated by a desire to change the emphasis of the alcohol drinking culture from one centred in pubs more or less exclusively involving alcohol, to one which provided a mixed environment that involves food and drink giving a more relaxed atmosphere for everyone, then it was a good idea. However, the idea would require significant cultural change to be implemented. A glass or two of wine with nutritious food is far preferable to endless pints of beer. The big difficulty with the idea, however, was that it involved a major increase in the number of outlets dispensing alcohol, as the café bars would be in addition to everything else. Most international evidence suggests that the more alcohol outlets in existence, the more alcohol related problems are created. The strategic task force on alcohol recommended restricting the number of outlets selling alcohol. In other words, the most successful way to reduce harm is to reduce the number of outlets.

Regulation and restriction is never popular. As the Minister has now decided to allow all restaurants sell all kinds of alcohol, he should perhaps oblige all pubs to sell tea, coffee and snacks during all opening hours. We really need a national alcohol strategy, with local and regional structures put in place to implement that strategy. Perhaps alcohol, being the most harmful of all legal and illegal drugs, should be combined with drugs and dealt with in a unifying way by the existing national and local structures currently dealing with illegal drug problem. It is time at least to implement the recommendations of the strategic task force on alcohol.

One aspect of the alcohol problem causing major concern in communities that I represent, is the spiralling increase in the availability of alcohol from supermarket outlets. This is fuelling a very serious social problem and causing damage to the health of young people and to the wellbeing of communities. It is the source of many of the problems of anti-social behaviour now being experienced. The Minister should look at that issue and attempt to address it.

See this speech in context