Bad news for drinkers. FG/Labour to introduce minimum prices!

the_syco

theg81der wrote: »

Particularly children who`s parents are alcoholics.

Children whose parents are alcoholics will be affected most, as the alco's will buy drink before they buy food for the family. They'll still buy the same drink, but they'll be able to afford less food for the kids.

You do realise that the mind of an addict/alcoholic doesn't think the way the rest of us thinks, but that they prioritize their next "fix" over the well being of their family?

AeoNGriM

Despite the pleasantries, we all know the filthy stinking rich poor destitute Vintners Association are behind this. Greedy fcuks. And the Government were obviously falling over themselves to accomodate the VA. Useless, corrupt cnuts.

With respect to my fellow AH'ers. Alcohol is and always has been a luxury. If you can't afford it, then don't buy it. I, myself, am a social drinker now and again. Always been more of a smoker, love my weed so I'm not going to miss out.

How I envy you, alcoholics of AH. I would love to be able to stroll into my nearest Off-License, and pay high tax on government stamped cannabis.

the_syco wrote: »

Children whose parents are alcoholics will be affected most, as the alco's will buy drink before they buy food for the family. They'll still buy the same drink, but they'll be able to afford less food for the kids.



You do realise that the mind of an addict/alcoholic doesn't think the way the rest of us thinks, but that they prioritize their next "fix" over the well being of their family?

Very good point, I hadn't considered this at all. This will no doubt put a squeeze on those families coping with an alcoholic parent. Very sad.

Father Damo

Biggins wrote: »

Write-up in todays Sunday Times (England)

Summary of article (Cannot print article due to pay-wall copyright restrictions):

Our Irish Government is planning to double the price of the cheapest cans of lager, and add €4 to the cost of own-brand vodka, in order to curb sales of cheap alcohol to teenagers and problem drinkers.

Shortall says its “crazy” that young people could buy a “slab of beer”, 24 cans, or a bottle of vodka for €12.

I dunno - it don't sit right with me.

You can buy a slab for 12 euro these days???? Ive been away for a few years but apart from on one occasion when Dunnes was selling cans for 70 cent each (litreally a one off one night only, maybe they were gone past the sell by date....still drank em though!) I never remember anything selling for less than 6 cans for 7 euro (Bavaria and Dutch)

Biggins

Father Damo wrote: »

You can buy a slab for 12 euro these days???? Ive been away for a few years but apart from on one occasion when Dunnes was selling cans for 70 cent each (litreally a one off one night only, maybe they were gone past the sell by date....still drank em though!) I never remember anything selling for less than 6 cans for 7 euro (Bavaria and Dutch)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrIPQxrog8M

coffee_cake

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

I think minimum pricing is a really retarded, lazy, half-arsed way to tackle whatever problem Ireland has.

It's not trying to tackle the problem, we showed that earlier. Nothing to do with drinking problems and everything to do with propping up pubs.

For the record, I rarely drink. I think I've been drunk about once a year over the last few years. I just hate this because it's the govt trying to kill off competition and putting it under the guise of "for our health" when they explicitly stated last year they wanted to just prop up the pubs.
I don't like people drinking as much as they do, and I wish they'd stop. I think a lot of people have a problem. But it's not my place or anyone else's to force them to stop. Unless it's a family member or something.

Father Damo

Biggins wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrIPQxrog8M

Aye, but when I left the economy was already gone tits up and everyone was losing their jobs, but fcuk if the alcohol industry was caring at the time. Couldnt believe I saw on my mates status about 2 euro a drink in their local one Friday. Bout time.

arse..biscuits

JustAddWater wrote: »

Arse biscuits

What?

Ghandee

I'm a bit confused, how do people think this will prop up the pubs?

Serious question?


I simply cant afford top go to a pub these days, mate asked me shortly before Christmas to head into Dublin on a night out, which I (reluctantly) refused.

Return taxi trip = €50 - 60

Price of a pint in town 5-6€ so, all in all, I would prob have needed MINIMUM €100 (but we all know shots, smokes, kebabs etc ) prob more realistyic figure of 150 (bearing in mind this would have been Christmas party time)

I ususally partake in a few bottles of Tyskie (very, very decent beer)from Aldi on a Fri or a Saturday night (€1.65) so even if the 6 bottles were drunk on the one night, its still less than a tenner.

The only way pubs will get me back over their thresholds if they stop charging stupid prices for a pint of luke warm piss water!

Biggins

Ghandee wrote: »

I'm a bit confused, how do people think this will prop up the pubs?

Serious question?

It IS a good question - one you might wish to ask a FG or Labour TD.

As FG put it clearly in their Manifesto last year...

Supporting Irish Pubs: Fine Gael recognises the importance of the Irish pub for tourism, rural jobs and as a social outlet in communities across the country. We will support the local pub by banning the practice of below cost selling on alcohol, particularly by large supermarkets and the impact this has had on alcohol consumption and the viability of pubs.

I personally think they are once again, completely living on another plain of existence to the rest of us!

Ghandee

Biggins wrote: »

It IS a good question - one you might wish to ask a FG or Labour TD.

As FG put it clearly in their Manifesto last year...


I personally think they are once again, completely living on another plain of existence to the rest of us!

So to sum it up Biggins:

Pubs see no extra takings, because the root of the problem is their blatant overcharging, so still no patrons over the door.

Off licenses, Supermarkets etc, forced to sell drink at a minimum price (not a tax increase, just a minimum base price) so they see their profits rise, or stay static due to some folk cut down on their spending.

As their isnt extra money being generated through tax increases, this extra cash doesnt really make its way back to Govt coffers, (bar the vat increase)

Fine Gael/Labour didnt really think this one through.....

I visit my folks up the north at least once a month, just makes me determined now to stop in Asda in Antrim, or Sainsburys in sprucefield on my way back down south from here on in.

More money leaving the economy. HM revenues and customs must be wetting themselves at 'stupid Paddy' once again

Bullseye1

I'm curious as to why there is a maximum number of cigarettes one can bring back into the country but not drink? If they were to go ahead wih this stupid plan is there also a likelihood that they will also bring in similar restrictions on the import of alcohol?

Ghandee

Bullseye1 wrote: »

I'm curious as to why there is a maximum number of cigarettes one can bring back into the country but not drink? If they were to go ahead wih this stupid plan is there also a likelihood that they will also bring in similar restrictions on the import of alcohol?

I think your wrong on this one.

Sure you cant even buy 'duty free' in DA unless your flight ticket is to a certain destination.

Could be wrong though

Bullseye1

Im more referring to people travelling to the north and filling their cars or vans with crates of beer.

El Weirdo

Bullseye1 wrote: »

Im more referring to people travelling to the north and filling their cars or vans with crates of beer.

I'm pretty sure that as long as you can demonstrate that it's for your own personal use, you can (in theory) bring in as much alcohol and tobacco as you like from another EU jurisdiction.

I am open to correction on this.

Bullseye1

As far as I know you can only bring in two cartons of cigarettes.

Ghandee

Bullseye1 wrote: »

Im more referring to people travelling to the north and filling their cars or vans with crates of beer.

Not sure on this one tbh.

Am sure their is a 'personal consumption' aspect to it somewhere.

So unless Dunphy, or Shane MacGowan is driving the transit, packed to the roof with crates of Stella, you may have a hard time convincing our Revenue and Custom officers it was for your own consumption.

I'm open to correction though.

(The UK duty stamp is on the bottles of gargle for a reaon though I presume)

El Weirdo

Goods bought in another EU country
You will not be charged any extra duty or VAT on purchases where the duty and VAT has been paid (for example, goods bought in shops, supermarkets, etc.) in another EU country, provided the goods are for your personal use.
If your purchases are equivalent to or less than the quantities set out in the table below, they will usually be regarded as being for your personal use. If you exceed these quantities, you may have to demonstrate at Customs that the goods are for your personal use.

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/travel_and_recreation/travel_to_ireland/customs_regulations_for_travellers.html

(Follow link for table of limits)

Capt'n Midnight

AeoNGriM wrote: »

Alcohol is and always has been a luxury.

Until there were public water schemes, beer was the way to get safe drinking water for many people.

Cheap beer is 12x500ml = 6L for €8

That's €1.33 a litre which makes it cheaper than buying milk in a spar / centra and we all need our B vitamins

Biggins

Update: It looks like another kick in the teeth for supermarkets is coming!

“The committee also wants to ban the sale of alcohol alongside groceries…”

So they want to stop Supermarkets selling alcohol?
I can see a HUGE European court case over this, related to anti-competitiveness.
The big chains won’t take it lying down – and rightly so.

Full article:

A PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE has recommended tough new rules on alcohol sales and advertising, including the outright ban of all advertising of alcohol products on social networking websites.
The Oireachtas committee on Health and Children has also called for a ban on TV alcohol advertising before 9pm at night, and a ban on all retail advertising relating to the discounting of alcohol products.

The report, published this afternoon, also recommends that the government end VAT refunds on below-cost sales of alcohol, and that the government should ban services which deliver alcohol directly to a consumer’s home.
The committee also wants to ban the sale of alcohol alongside groceries, confectionery and fuel, expressing concern about the “proliferation of outlet which sell alcoholic products”.

The report stopped short of making a formal recommendation on banning the below-cost sale of alcohol, saying that while a majority of members of the committee were in favour of it, a number of members proposed higher alcohol spending taxes instead.
The report also recommends a programme of educational programmes on the dangers of drug and alcohol misuse, aimed at the general public, and that the government consider an outright ban of the sale of alcohol in certain outlets.

On drugs, the report recommends an outright ban in the import of cannabis seeds, and that Ireland’s drug legislation be amended to include stricter controls on importing benzodiazepines, including the likes of Valium and Xanax.

Committee chairman Jerry Buttimer (FG) said the aim of the report was to “highlight the prevalence of alcohol and other drugs in society and to emphasise the misuse of alcohol in particular, this being the most commonly used drug – what some have called the ‘national drug’.”

It is the Committee’s belief that there is no single measure which will solve the problem of alcohol misuse. Rather, a package of measures is needed to change our attitudes towards, and behaviour regarding, the consumption of alcohol.

The Alcohol Beverage Federation of Ireland welcomed the calls for increased education on the effects of drugs, the proposed introduction of a 9pm watershed on alcohol advertising would be ineffective given the presence of foreign broadcasts in Ireland.

http://www.thejournal.ie/oireachtas-committee-recommends-new-rules-on-alcohol-advertising-336180-Jan2012/?new_comment=1#comment-229294

Scram

Biggins wrote: »

Update: It looks like another kick in the teeth for supermarkets is coming!


So they want to stop Supermarkets selling alcohol?
I can see a HUGE European court case over this, related to anti-competitiveness.
The big chains won’t take it lying down – and rightly so.

Full article:



http://www.thejournal.ie/oireachtas-committee-recommends-new-rules-on-alcohol-advertising-336180-Jan2012/?new_comment=1#comment-229294

oh ffs thats madness, just ban alcohol altogether while there at it.

Biggins

So IF this comes about, you will be forced to go to an separate off-licence shop or pub for your drink.
...And I'm guessing the prices by that stage will be higher?

Minstrel27

FF will be loving this.

HellFireClub

No probs at all Roisin, I'll just buy my booze in Belfast once a month when I'm up that way on business!

Scram

HellFireClub wrote: »

No probs at all Roisin, I'll just buy my booze in Belfast once a month when I'm up that way on business!

Jeez they really want people to start shopping up the north again for booze. How about they start closing down pubs while there at it, like **** they will. This is all to get people back into pubs.

Ghandee

Fcuk this.


Cnuts will be telling us what time to go to bed at next.

If I'd have wanted to live in Nazi Germany, I'd have moved to Thailand years ago.

HellFireClub

Scram wrote: »

Jeez they really want people to start shopping up the north again for booze. How about they start closing down pubs while there at it, like **** they will. This is all to get people back into pubs.

I don't think too many people have the money now for 5 Euro a point to drink in a pub. It'll just depress sales further, while underage kids will still keep on knacker drinking because the actual problem (underage kids knacker drinking in fields), as is always the way in this country, won't be faced up to or dealt with, so we'll try to solve the problem by taxing everyone who isn't actually part of the problem at all. The stupid gombeen illogical shíteheaded nature of people who get into political office in this country will never ever change.

Biggins

I'm down sick at the moment (flu) but when I can, I'm going to contact the supermarkets to see what is their response to the ongoing antics in our state.
If I get a reply, I'll gladly post it.

They (the supermarkets) have already indicated with the previous governmental announcements that they are quite willing take the issue to the European courts.

...So there will possibly go another few million on legal fees.

Bruthal

Ghandee wrote: »

Fcuk this.


Cnuts will be telling us what time to go to bed at next.

It wouldnt surprise me.

sh1tstirrer

Scram wrote: »

oh ffs thats madness, just ban alcohol altogether while there at it.

What and lose all the tax revenue from it. They are fairly stupid but not that stupid.

Biggins

sh1tstirrer wrote: »

What and lose all the tax revenue from it. They are fairly stupid but not that stupid.

Would you place a bet on that in the bookies? :pac: