Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We support what the Government is trying to do. We see this as positive for the night-time economy and businesses if it is done in an engaging way. We also need to take on board the views of Alcohol Action Ireland, which has been very vocal and has done Trojan work on this. It believes a health impact assessment would allow for service planning and migration to protect vulnerable people. It conducted research with UCC which suggests that four people a day die in Ireland from alcohol abuse. We need to put a plan in place to reduce these figures while also trying to encourage the night-time economy. We are not seeing it is one or the other. We are saying they can be done, but we need a health impact assessment to be done. It needs to be evidence-based and credible. With more people dying from alcohol abuse, we need to get the balance right.

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