Seanad debates

Friday, 4 July 2003

Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2003 [ Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil ] : Report and Final Stages.

 

A number of Members made the point, reiterated by Senator Tuffy, regarding enforcement, namely, that there are difficulties enforcing the existing law. They asked whether this Bill would complicate matters and what prospect there was of it being enforced. I take those points at face value. However, one of the methods of ensuring a law is enforced is self-enforcement and giving publicans and hoteliers a sense that they would be much wiser to comply with the law without the threat of people knocking on their doors than otherwise. That is why the closure orders that apply to under age drinking and the production of ID and the provisions relating to drunkenness are stated in tough terms in the legislation. The idea is that publicans will know that, if they are found to be in breach of these orders, there will be serious consequences.

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