Vol. 509 No. 4
313 Ms Clune asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the plans, if any, he has to introduce new regulations to control the sale of alcohol in local supermarkets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20264/99]
I assume the Deputy is referring to the law in general which applies to the sale of alcohol in supermarkets. That law is, for the most part, the same as it applies to the sale of alcohol by al retail outlets for consumption off the premises.
The Government has recently approved my proposals for an Intoxicating Liquor (No. 2) Bill. The proposals in that Bill are wide-ranging. They cover hours of trading, licensing and offences for breaches of licensing laws, including those in relation to under-age drinking. The proposals take into account the recommendations of the Oireachtas Committee on Liquor Licensing, the Competition Authority, and submissions which my Department received from the public and relevant interest groups in relation to those recommendations. In so far as supermarkets are concerned there are no proposals for change that are specific to them but the proposals in general, as they affect retail outlets, will affect their licensing hours, their licensing and the sanctions which apply for breaches of the licensing laws.
