Batt O'Keeffe
Question:125 Mr. B. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Justice if she intends to amend sections 40 and 47 of the Intoxicating Liquor Act. [18958/96]
Written Answers. - Amendment of Liquor Licensing Laws.
I have no plans at present to amend the liquor licensing laws in either of these areas.
Section 40 of the Intoxicating Liquor Act, 1988, empowers the Minister for Justice to provide by way of regulations for the issue of age cards on a voluntary basis to persons of or over 18 years of age. As I am satisfied that the most acceptable and effective way of complementing the comprehensive set of provisions in the 1988 Act aimed at curbing under-age drinking is through the continued development of voluntary local age card schemes, I have no proposals at present to make such regulations.
The question of making an order under section 47 of the 1988 Act prohibiting sales of drink by self-service methods in outlets such as supermarkets is kept under continuing review. Central to any decision is whether such a provision would supplement the measures already in place to curb under-age drinking. I am informed by the Garda authorities that the sale of drink at supermarkets has not posed a particular problem in relation to under-age drinking.