Concerns over youth drink culture as killing of two Poles condemned

AS THE Dáil expressed condemnation of the violent killing of the two young Polish men in Drimnagh, concerns were raised about…

AS THE Dáil expressed condemnation of the violent killing of the two young Polish men in Drimnagh, concerns were raised about the need to deal with youth drink culture and associated violence.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (SF, Dublin South-West) said the "high number of off-licences opening in communities with little or no consultation with the community is in need of particular attention, as is the selling of alcohol in shops and supermarkets.

"Communities should be consulted on how best to tackle the serving of alcohol to minors by proxy or otherwise.

"The role of the Garda Síochána and the measures it should take with regard to offending licence holders should also be debated," Mr Ó Snodaigh said.

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Later, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Micheál Martin, who said the issue was complex, rejected a call for the reintroduction of the Groceries Order and said the order "was not designed to tackle the issue of alcohol abuse, there is no evidence to suggest that it was capable of doing so and it was a wholly inappropriate mechanism by which to seek to control alcohol consumption".

He rejected the "perceived link" between the abolition of the order and increased alcohol consumption.

Marie O'Halloran

Marie O'Halloran

Marie O'Halloran is Parliamentary Correspondent of The Irish Times