asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether his Department have received complaints of overcharging for drinks, such as half pints and bottles of stout, served in licensed premises.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Drink Overcharging.
60.
Complaints of the kind referred to by the Deputy have been made to my Department. As I have already announced, I am having these complaints examined and I will not hesitate to take proceedings where satisfactory evidence is available to me that any publican is overcharging.
On the complaints the Minister has at the moment, is he satisfied that they are in fact true and what does he intend doing about them?
It appears most of the complaints I have received are true but this is not the same thing as having evidence which would stand up in court for a prosecution. I am examining the cases of the complaints I have received to see whether evidence of that nature can be made available and, if it can, there will be prosecutions against the publicans concerned.
Would the Minister consider the feasibility, at any stage, of actually fixing a uniform price over the whole country?
This matter is under consideration.
Will the Minister add to his list of those he proposes to prosecute the Minister for Finance, for the excessive increases he has put on the price of beer?
I think the Deputy will not find many to agree with him in that, having regard to the use to which the proceeds are being put.