Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)

Last night before the proceedings were adjourned I broadly welcomed the proposals for reforming the liquor licensing laws included in the Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2008. However, the issues of public disorder and behaviour related to alcohol abuse which is the real thrust of this legislation are unlikely to be resolved solely through enacting legislation. This can be shown by the fact that each Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform has produced new Bills to curb alcohol abuse in his or her time, yet each Minister has dismally failed in his or her efforts. Ironically the previous Government introduced later opening hours for public houses, while the current Minister is reducing the opening hours for off-licences.

There is a considerable body of existing legislation which is not being implemented. The first imperative should be to effect measures to ensure implementation of existing, appropriate, relevant and pertinent legislation on the Statute Book. For example, the Intoxicating Liquor Acts 1999 and 2004 contain provisions for labelling alcoholic products sold in supermarkets, convenience stores, petrol stations and dedicated off-licences. The relevant sections of that legislation provide for traceability of all cans and bottles sold on these premises by means of a bar code or other labelling mechanism, which immediately identifies the outlet where the alcohol was sold. This allows for rogue off-licence outlets selling alcohol to minors to be identified quickly by the Garda and prosecuted effectively. These sections of the legislation require ministerial order, but no order has ever been activated by any Minister.

The proposals in the current Bill are substantially directed at the various off-licence outlets through curtailing hours of opening, providing for structural separation of alcohol products from other products, installing closed circuit television systems and giving local gardaí and residents a greater say in objections. These provisions are, of course, welcome. However, there is no reference in the Bill to labelling provisions. I call on the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to either activate the provisions in previous legislation which would provide for labelling and traceability of all alcoholic products sold at off-licences, or to introduce new updated provisions by way of an amendment to the current Bill, or to indicate in his response that he will accept amendments to that effect.

I am chairman of the supply control committee of the Dublin north inner city drugs task force. This is an initiative that started in Blanchardstown but has moved into the inner city, especially the Store Street area and it operates largely from there. The committee aims to address the link between alcohol and drugs in public houses. We have established on a fairly successful pilot basis a procedure to "dial to stop drug dealing" campaign. We are using beer mats in public houses and signs are being erected in such pubs indicating they are a drug-free area. This has been done in the Store Street area since Christmas and is proving to be quite effective. There is anecdotal information that people are using the service to stand up to drug dealers.

The programme's purpose is to prevent the multi-use of alcohol and drugs, as public houses in inner city and other areas have often been used as a location for the sale or consumption of drugs, with drink an added element to the combination.

I would like the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform to streamline that measure, which does not really require any legislation. The drugs task force would be very anxious to see that introduced. There are some good and pragmatic proposals in this Bill. If they were added to by the traceability and labelling provisions already in legislation, which could be boosted by being updated and included in this legislation, it would be very welcome.

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