is Ireland on the drink?

[warmcome]

i always had the impression that England and Scotland
had a similar problem to Ireland but no. i got this info from
the supplement in today's Examiner.

annual spend per head (over age 15)

England €827

Scotland €939

Ireland €1,934 WTF?

[Dohnut Boy]

i always had the impression that England and Scotland
had a similar problem to Ireland but no. i got this info from
the supplement in today's Examiner.

annual spend per head (over age 15)

England €827

Scotland €939

Ireland €1,934 WTF?

Having worked in the trade in both the UK and Ireland I'd dispute those figures massively, plus if that was the average spend why am I not driving a Ferrari?????? I'd love to know how they cooked those figures together, the cost of alcohol is higher here so that would go someway to the difference in figures - but twice the amount is crazy.

The price could go up even more as FG have a plan to increase duty on a bottle of wine by a euro, the highest increase we've ever had. The last time we had a 50c increase there were massive queues up to Newry on the M1! INcreasing duty on booze, fags or fuel is simple taxation by another name, a sneaky stealth tax at that.

[warmcome]

France €302

Ireland €1,210 (1995)

[Cable87]

I've seen the problem first-hand in the time I worked as a doorman in Dublin. Too many people just can't handle themselves on the drink, it's not that they should necesarily stop drinking, it's just the pace at which some consumer aldohol and ultimately what the PURPOSE of drinking is.

For some, going out and having a few while relaxing and chatting with friends is the goal; for others, the goal in itself is drinking JUST TO GET DRUNK. It's those types that always caused the most hassle, and it's those types that no doubt make-up the majority of the people represented in the statistics presented in the article.

[Dohnut Boy]

I think Cable has hit it spot on, for some people a night out means complete obliteration! Drink until closing time or unconsciousness whichever comes first.

[lfccork]

They should also stagger the closing times so not everyone is turfed out on the streets at the same time,the nightclubs should always have later hours than bars.

[Fitzy]

They should also stagger the closing times so not everyone is turfed out on the streets at the same time,the nightclubs should always have later hours than bars.

Wasn't there later times for nightclubs and the government put the time back an hour to stop binge drinking but all it does is incourage people to buy more before closing time.

[warmcome]

Wasn't there later times for nightclubs and the government put the time back an hour to stop binge drinking but all it does is incourage people to buy more before closing time.

fitzy, they don't get everything right y'know

[Dohnut Boy]

When I was working in the UK there was uproar as they introduced 24 hour licences, the Daily Mail readers screamed their horror "won't somebody think of the children" style. In the end 6 clubs applied for a licence for 24 hours, the rest extended their hours a bit but nothing major. And the main reason they brought in 24 hour licences? To stop the 2 million licence extension request that went before the courts EVERY year!

Staggering closing times is a great idea, another one is actually categorising where the crime actually takes place. Once study I saw showed more crime outside takeaways and chippers after kicking out time than in the pubs and clubs!!! Pissed fellas waiting in the queues and causing hassle. If they put the Garda in the right locations it might help, but I think no matter what you try, some people will always cause trouble when they have had a skinful.

[warmcome]

When I was working in the UK there was uproar as they introduced 24 hour licences, the Daily Mail readers screamed their horror "won't somebody think of the children" style. In the end 6 clubs applied for a licence for 24 hours, the rest extended their hours a bit but nothing major. And the main reason they brought in 24 hour licences? To stop the 2 million licence extension request that went before the courts EVERY year!

Staggering closing times is a great idea, another one is actually categorising where the crime actually takes place. Once study I saw showed more crime outside takeaways and chippers after kicking out time than in the pubs and clubs!!! Pissed fellas waiting in the queues and causing hassle. If they put the Garda in the right locations it might help, but I think no matter what you try, some people will always cause trouble when they have had a skinful.

agreed! it's a bit disconcerting that the police need to be told where the crime is.
i think they know damn well.