Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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159. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of test purchases which have been undertaken by An Garda Síochána under section 14 of the Intoxicating Liquor Act 2008 since the launch of the guidelines on 1 October 2010; the number of successful convictions which have arisen from test purchases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19599/13]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Section 14 of the Intoxicating Liquor Act 2008 makes provision for the test purchasing of alcohol products. The primary objective of the scheme, which entered into force on 1 October 2010, is to enable An Garda Síochána to target those licensed premises which are suspected of engaging in illegal sales of alcohol to young people. I am informed by the Garda authorities that, up to 23 April 2013, section 14 of the 2008 Act has been invoked on 937 occasions with 120 proceedings commenced and 12 convictions recorded arising from test purchasing operations. The figures provided are operational and liable to change.