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

tippboi

Most country pubs are either owned by politicians or there families and ex gards.. This i suspect is the reason that it is happening. Although i am surprised it took so long. W**kers

WalterMitty

Alcohol consumption in ireland has fallen significantly since peaking around 2000 despite the price of drink being a lot higher then in absolute and real terms in shops.

http://www.finfacts.ie/Private/bestprice/alcoholdrinkconsumptionpriceseurope.htm
also drinking a lot in teens /20s doesnt mean people are falling around every time they drink. The brain adapts and builds a tolerance which means an average Irish people has significantly more tolerance than say a young person from a country where they drink much less. most people then reduce drinking in 30s when they settle down and the tolerance drops back as brain adapts again.

mikemac1

Liam Byrne wrote: »

It's the same stunt that they pulled with the drink-driving.....we all know ****wits who binge drink 10 or 12 pints and think it's macho, and many who drive home afterwards......whether the limit is 1 or 2 won't fix their behaviour but wallops the rest of us who never broke the existing law to begin with.

Do you feel walloped by checkpoints and random testing?

maxfresh

will the new prices not just encourage people to buy a "better" brand of beer i.e. heineken instead of tuborg

mikemac1

Biggins wrote: »

My own town too. A shop RIGHT in the middle of the town - been going on for 15+ years.
Not once has the owners been fined, closed due to their illegal actions or even had their hands slapped over selling drink to under-age teen.

I heard of plans to get shops to sticker their products

If the garda finds kids down the park well it's clear where they are getting them from.

It's possible an adult is buying them and passing them over time the gardaí can monitor the main offenders.

I like the sticker idea

leeroybrown

They claimed that reducing the off-license opening hours was to curb youth drinking and binge drinking but in reality the main lobby behind it was the pub trade who wanted to get some peak drinking hours back. They just hid behind the public health/safety angle and are doing exactly the same here.

All that will happen with minimum prices is that those who wish to drink low cost drinks will continue to do so but may pay a higher price (and more VAT).

Vomit

In the week before Christmas in Dublin, the streets was jammed with people falling around drunk, from the moment the sun set. Every time I check facebook I see people posting long lists of alcoholic drinks they recently consumed, and telling of how pissed they got and how hungover the are. Getting drunk seems to be the only highlight of average Joe's (or should that be Joe Sixpack?) life. Seems everyone is getting more and more obese and unhealthy too. We have a problem. The dogs on the street know it.

Biggins

mikemac1 wrote: »

I heard of plans to get shops to sticker their products

If the garda finds kids down the park well it's clear where they are getting them from.

It's possible an adult is buying them and passing them over time the gardaí can monitor the main offenders.

I like the sticker idea

JUST playing devils advocate!

...And if the shop keeper don't sticker his items?
...Or at the till, removes the sticker himself when he get the cash?
(Whats to stop the kids taking the stickers off themselves too?)

How does one prove 100% where the drink came from?
If it ever got to court, it might be the word of a young boy against an established retailer only!

(I know there are ways to catch them out, for example: send in a young person working for the Gardi and see will a retailer sell to the youth and/or remove sticker - but I think the likelihood of that method being used is very remote, to be used widespread and effectively.
They (the government) is not allowing the Gardi even to use the resources that they have at present).

It deserves credit, its an idea.
Will it work to any degree to noticeable success? I myself, don't know.

leeroybrown

mikemac1 wrote: »

I heard of plans to get shops to sticker their products

If the garda finds kids down the park well it's clear where they are getting them from.

It's possible an adult is buying them and passing them over time the gardaí can monitor the main offenders.

The problem with this "sticker" system is that it would never stand up in court and without a proper legal basis it just strikes me as an expensive waste of time. The worst offenders would also be those most likely to circumvent the system.

Vomit wrote: »

In the week before Christmas in Dublin, the streets was jammed with people falling around drunk, from the moment the sun set. Every time I check facebook I see people posting long lists of alcoholic drinks they recently consumed, and telling of how pissed they got and how hungover the are. Getting drunk seems to be the only highlight of average Joe's (or should that be Joe Sixpack?) life. Seems everyone is getting more and more obese and unhealthy too. We have a problem. The dogs on the street know it.

You're correct - everyone knows that we drink an unhealthy amount as a nation. The issue is that these proposed minimum alcohol prices do nothing to address it. Most of those people you saw in Dublin had spent their money in pubs with a lot of them paying full Dublin prices for the drinks that got them in that state. We're not going to solve a social issue by slapping a few extra quid on the price of cheap drinks.

mickydoomsux

Vomit wrote: »

In the week before Christmas in Dublin, the streets was jammed with people falling around drunk, from the moment the sun set. Every time I check facebook I see people posting long lists of alcoholic drinks they recently consumed, and telling of how pissed they got and how hungover the are. Getting drunk seems to be the only highlight of average Joe's (or should that be Joe Sixpack?) life. Seems everyone is getting more and more obese and unhealthy too. We have a problem. The dogs on the street know it.

Agreed. I work in public transport and the past month or so has been a nightmare with pissheads.

We usually get a few drink related problems during a normal week but we were getting a few every day during December. Since i started this job i've come to realise what a terrible attitude we have as a nation when it comes to drinking.

Liam Byrne

mikemac1 wrote: »

Liam Byrne wrote: »

It's the same stunt that they pulled with the drink-driving.....we all know ****wits who binge drink 10 or 12 pints and think it's macho, and many who drive home afterwards......whether the limit is 1 or 2 won't fix their behaviour but wallops the rest of us who never broke the existing law to begin with.

Do you feel walloped by checkpoints and random testing?

No. Just the change of limits that doesn't tackle the real problem.

Stained Class

mickydoomsux wrote: »

Agreed. I work in public transport and the past month or so has been a nightmare with pissheads.

We usually get a few drink related problems during a normal week but we were getting a few every day during December. Since i started this job i've come to realise what a terrible attitude we have as a nation when it comes to drinking.

The uproar about this is unreal.


It doesn't effect the price of drink in pubs, just the very cheap drink available in Offys & supermarkets.

Drink is too cheap here for the type of mindset the population of this country has.

We're like sheep in a field of clover. Consume till you fall down dead/drunk.

Ah shure t'was great craic.

What an attitude!:rolleyes:

Biggins

Stained Class wrote: »

The uproar about this is unreal.

It doesn't effect the price of drink in pubs, just the very cheap drink available in Offys & supermarkets.
Drink is too cheap here for the type of mindset the population of this country has.
We're like sheep in a field of clover. Consume till you fall down dead/drunk.
Ah shure t'was great craic.
What an attitude!:rolleyes:

For me, its not just about the price - sure - like most here, we will pay the extra.
Its also about the matter, is it just another way of taxing/levying more item on the double and/or giving into the Vintners heavy lobbying - and to a small extent, also helping a few TD's (by coincidence) that also have a hand in the leisure industry which serves alcohol?

If its another tax or an already one, just raised more(?) - then call it that at least to our faces!
They don't have to insult our intelligence if it is so!

the_syco

Logical Fallacy wrote: »

Tap water me bollix.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/3523303.stm :pac:

Biggins

Stained Class wrote: »

Well, your about my age, have twice the amount of kids I have & you have a huge post count here.

I'm confused about the amount of time you spend posting on boards.

Where do you find the time?

Say wha??? yerself:rolleyes:

Thanks for going totally way off topic and picking on me rather than discussing the topic.
I won't get personal in retort.

I would be honestly grateful if you took the time to explain what you meant by the below statement. Cheers.

Originally Posted by Stained Class
The only good thing I can say about the low prices on Booze these days, is that it might prevent kids from getting into drugs.

Stained Class

Biggins wrote: »

For me, its not just about the price - sure - like most here, we will pay the extra.
Its also about the matter, is it just another way of taxing/levying more item on the double and/or giving into the Vintners heavy lobbying - and to a small extent, also helping a few TD's (by coincidence) that also have a hand in the leisure industry which serves alcohol?

If its another tax or an already one, just raised more(?) - then call it that at least to our faces!
They don't have to insult our intelligence if it is so!

Biggins, I dunno.

I think it's better to support your local pub than Lidl/Aldi, wherever..

At least you're supporting your 'parish' when you do.

I myself rarely go to the pub nowadays despite having 6 of them within spitting distance from me.

Instead I'll have a few (cheap) drinks at home..

Biggins

Stained Class wrote: »

Biggins, I dunno.
I think it's better to support your local pub than Lidl/Aldi, wherever..
At least you're supporting your 'parish' when you do.
I myself rarely go to the pub nowadays despite having 6 of them within spitting distance from me.
Instead I'll have a few (cheap) drinks at home..

In the above regard, you and I are in the same boat - and I suspect, a lot many here to boot.

(Well not too cheep a drink that it might half kill me! LOL)

OneArt

There's no such thing as cheap drink in Ireland.

I used to drink quite a lot when I lived there. There was just f*ck all else to do, and if there was, it was quite expensive. Much better to go off to the house with a few bottles of wine and have a laugh.

I've noticed since I moved to Germany I'm surrounded by cheap drink, you can even drink on the streets here. Yet I'd say I'd have a few once a week or so. Maybe a beer with lunch now and then.

LighterGuy

Stained Class wrote: »

The uproar about this is unreal.
It doesn't effect the price of drink in pubs, just the very cheap drink available in Offys & supermarkets. Drink is too cheap here for the type of mindset the population of this country has. We're like sheep in a field of clover. Consume till you fall down dead/drunk. Ah shure t'was great craic. What an attitude!:rolleyes:

For an example I recently saw €1 for a can of Carsberg. As it stands the government get 23 cent VAT out of that euro.
If that can has to be legally sold at nothing under 2 euro. Thats 46 cent VAT tax. 3 euro a can and its 69 cent VAT. Its all about VAT.

Biggins

LighterGuy wrote: »

For an example I recently saw €1 for a can of Carsberg. As it stands the government get 23 cent VAT out of that euro.
If that can has to be legally sold at nothing under 2 euro. Thats 46 cent VAT tax. 3 euro a can and its 69 cent VAT. Its all about VAT.

Concise and well put.

Stained Class

Biggins wrote: »

Thanks for going totally way off topic and picking on me rather than discussing the topic.
I won't get personal in retort.

I would be honestly grateful if you took the time to explain what you meant by the below statement. Cheers.

Sorry Biggins.

My intake of cheap Lidl beer is to blame:(

Biggins

Stained Class wrote: »

Sorry Biggins.

My intake of cheap Lidl beer is to blame:(

Enough said my friend!
No worries.
Been there - done that!

Too many times - but don't tell anyone!

Stained Class

Biggins wrote: »

Enough said my friend!
No worries.
Been there - done that!

Too many times - but don't tell anyone!

Sound.

I just thought some of the points I made on this thread were relevant & I didn't like them being dismissed offhand like that.

Apolagies again.

Biggins

Stained Class wrote: »

Sound.

I just thought some of the points I made on this thread were relevant & I didn't like them being dismissed offhand like that.

Apolagies again.

No worries, 'Nuff said.

Genuinely though, a few here (including I) would like to understand how non-low prices on Booze might prevent kids from getting into drugs.

Genuine question.
Not an attempt to have a go at you.
Just trying to possible understand some thing or point that has slipped by me.
(Something that happens a lot to me - more often than I'd care to admit! )

nyan warrior

Hash is better anyway

Stained Class

Biggins wrote: »

No worries, 'Nuff said.

Genuinely though, a few here (including I) would like to understand how non-low prices on Booze might prevent kids from getting into drugs.

Genuine question.
Not an attempt to have a go at you.
Just trying to possible understand some thing or point that has slipped by me.
(Something that happens a lot to me - more often than I'd care to admit! )

Well, if kids want to get a 'buzz', it's much better IMO if they can get it cheaply by legal means.

I.E. buying a few cans frm your local offy.

If drink gets too dear, then kids might get their kicks from sniffing aerosols (rem that?) or from buying drugs from their friendly (illegal) dealer.

I think it's a valid point

Biggins

Stained Class wrote: »

Well, if kids want to get a 'buzz', it's much better IMO if they can get it cheaply by legal means.

I.E. buying a few cans frm your local offy.

If drink gets too dear, then kids might get their kicks from sniffing aerosols (rem that?) or from buying drugs from their friendly (illegal) dealer.

I think it's a valid point

Roger!

I see where your coming from.
You do have a point. It might be debated but you DO have one.

Question: if the drink got TOO expensive for them, might they seek their 'buzz' from other means?
Possible cheaper drugs?

Pedro K

This measure was in FG's pre election manifesto, and was one of the reasons I didn't vote for FG, so it comes as no surprise to me. Seeing how they've performed in government thus far, I am happy I didn't give them a vote.

mikemac1

Pedro K wrote: »

This measure was in FG's pre election manifesto, .

Let they got a Labour TD to announce it

Is this some devious scheme to send the junior partner out to announce the unpopular news?
Maybe


James Reilly could have done it if he wanted

Stained Class

Pedro K wrote: »

This measure was in FG's pre election manifesto, and was one of the reasons I didn't vote for FG, so it comes as no surprise to me. Seeing how they've performed in government thus far, I am happy I didn't give them a vote.

But we have to be realistic here.

FF were in power for most of the time this state was created.

They did what they liked because the Irish people voted for them.

See the job they made of it?

Not good.

This Govt have their hands tied as a result.

We have lost a great deal of our independence because of the 'republican' party.

There's a lot more at stake here than the probability of having a cheap drink.