Sixty-five groups unite to warn Government against liberalising Ireland's alcohol laws

“Ireland has just begun to make tentative progress towards the goal of reducing alcohol consumption with drinking levels falling slowly on a population level thanks to the measures of the Public Health (Alcohol) Act, 2018,” the letter’s authors say.

“Now, however, the government appears set to undo all the good work achieved over many years by swiftly passing a bill to further liberalise the sale of alcohol across the country.”

They say an “alarming change of tack in alcohol policy” has been undertaken in the face of a comprehensive body of evidence highlighted by the World Health Organization in a recent report.

That report states that extending alcohol availability and trading hours increases:

• The burden on public services such as ambulance services, emergency departments, and gardaí;
• Crime, including domestic and sexual violence;
• Road deaths.

The authors point to international evidence which they say suggests that a one-hour extension of alcohol trading hours is likely to lead to a 16% increase in alcohol-related crime; a 30% rise in traffic collisions in rural areas; and a 34% rise in alcohol-related injuries requiring hospital treatment.

The authors also highlight health harms from increased alcohol consumption such as cancer, heart and liver disease, and mental health problems.

“Children and families will also bear the brunt of this proposed bill,” they write. “At least 200,000 children are currently growing up with problem alcohol use in the home, and Ireland is estimated to have a prevalence rate of foetal alcohol spectrum disorder of 2.8%-7.4% of the population — the third-highest rate in the world.”

The Government has said the aim of the Sale of Alcohol Bill is to reform “antiquated” and “out-of-date” licencing laws, replacing a patchwork of 100 laws with a single, modern piece of legislation.

Under the proposals, alcohol licences will be allowed for museums and galleries, and pubs and nightclubs will be permitted to stay open longer, the latter until 6am.

Alcohol Action Ireland CEO Sheila Gilheany said: “This letter shows the deep disquiet in the health and social community and makes a shared call for an immediate health impact assessment [HIA] of this legislation to be carried out.

“We have been calling for this from the very start of this legislative process and the question must be asked — why doesn’t this Government want to carry out a HIA?”