Seán Haughey (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail)
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749. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality her views on the home delivery of alcoholic drinks, including draught beers, by pubs not licensed to serve food; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18516/20]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The position is that where alcohol is purchased online and delivered, the same restrictions on the sale and supply of intoxicating liquor apply, including the restrictions in relation to hours of trading and the provisions in relation to the sale and supply of intoxicating liquor to young persons. There is no dedicated licence for online sales of intoxicating liquor but licensees of licensed premises may engage in online sales subject to certain restrictive conditions e.g. advance purchase and payment. 

Under section 17(3) of the Intoxicating Liquor Act 2003, it is an offence for a licensee, with intent to evade the conditions of the licence, to take intoxicating liquor from the licensed premises for the purpose of its being sold on the account or for the benefit or profit of the licensee, or to permit any other person to do so. The penalty on conviction is a fine of up to €1,500 for a first offence and up to €2,000 for a second or subsequent offence.

Section 31 of the Intoxicating Liquor Act 1988, as amended, makes provision for offences relating to the sale and delivery of alcohol products to persons under the age of 18 years. It is an offence under section 31(2) for a licensee to sell or deliver, or to permit any other person to sell or deliver, alcohol products to any person for consumption off his or her licensed premises by a person under the age of 18 years in any place except with the explicit consent of the person's parent or guardian in a private residence in which he or she is present either as of right or with permission. The penalty on conviction for this offence is a fine of up to €1,270 for a first offence and up to €1,904 for a second or subsequent offence. In addition, the Intoxicating Liquor Act 2000 provides for the mandatory temporary closure of licensed premises in cases where a licensee is convicted of an offence under section 31 of the 1988 Act (up to 7 days for a first offence, or at least 7 and not more than 30 days for a second or subsequent offence).