Vol. 559 No. 5
342 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he has satisfied himself with the enforcement of the Intoxicating Liquor Act, 2000 in respect of under age drinking in view of the fact that only eight convictions have been secured in the entire Dublin region since its commencement in 2000; and his proposals to ensure that more cases are prosecuted and more convictions secured. [26350/02]
343 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will report on the enforcement of the Intoxicating Liquor Act, 2000; the number of prosecutions; the outcomes; and the breakdown of these figures for each Garda division. [26351/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 342 and 343 together.
The main legislative provisions relating to underage drinking are set out in Part IV of the Intoxicating Liquor Act, 1988, as amended by the Intoxicating Liquor Act, 2000. The 2000 Act provides for a considerable strengthening of the law in relation to the supply or sale of intoxicating liquor to underage persons, including increases in fines for breaches of the law on under age drinking. Serious penalties, including temporary closure of a licensed premises, can result where a licensee is convicted of the offence of selling intoxicating liquor to an underage person.
As the Deputy will appreciate, I have no role in the investigation, prosecution or trial of alleged offences, which are matters for the Garda Síochána, the Director of Public Prosecutions and the courts. This is a long standing principle of our system of justice. I am, nevertheless, satisfied that the existing legislative provisions and their enforcement are adequate to deal with the problem of underage alcohol consumption, in as much as the issue is one for the criminal justice system. In this regard, the problem requires a much broader response than that capable of being provided by State agencies alone. In particular, it falls on all parties with an interest in this matter, including the drinks industry, the media and parents, to play their part in addressing under age alcohol abuse.
Details of prosecutions, convictions and closure orders obtained since the Intoxicating Liquor Act, 2000 came into force to 13 December 2002 are set out in the table below.
|
Garda Regionand Division |
Prosecutions |
Convictions |
Pending |
Dismissed-Struck Out |
ClosureOrders |
ClosureOrdersUnderAppeal |
|
Eastern Region |
34 |
18 |
5 |
11 |
14 |
4 |
|
Carlow-Kildare |
14 |
3 |
3 |
8 |
3 |
2 |
|
Laois-Offaly |
13 |
11 |
2 |
0 |
8 |
2 |
|
Longford-Westmeath |
3 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
|
Louth-Meath |
4 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
|
Dublin Met. Region |
47 |
10 |
20 |
17 |
4 |
0 |
|
Eastern |
6 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
|
North Central |
7 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
|
Northern |
10 |
2 |
4 |
4 |
1 |
0 |
|
South Central |
5 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
|
Southern |
12 |
2 |
7 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
|
Western |
7 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
|
Northern Region |
59 |
23 |
19 |
17 |
13 |
7 |
|
Cavan-Monaghan |
32 |
10 |
12 |
10 |
4 |
3 |
|
Donegal |
19 |
6 |
7 |
6 |
3 |
3 |
|
Sligo-Leitrim |
8 |
7 |
0 |
1 |
6 |
1 |
|
Garda Regionand Division |
Prosecutions |
Convictions |
Pending |
Dismissed-Struck Out |
ClosureOrders |
ClosureOrdersUnderAppeal |
|
South-Eastern Region |
33 |
23 |
5 |
5 |
18 |
2 |
|
Tipperary |
13 |
11 |
0 |
2 |
9 |
2 |
|
Waterford-Kilkenny |
10 |
7 |
0 |
3 |
7 |
0 |
|
Wexford |
10 |
5 |
5 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
|
Southern Region |
119 |
56 |
47 |
16 |
32 |
5 |
|
Cork City |
48 |
13 |
30 |
5 |
9 |
2 |
|
Cork North |
9 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
|
Cork West |
20 |
12 |
5 |
3 |
7 |
1 |
|
Kerry |
24 |
16 |
4 |
4 |
14 |
0 |
|
Limerick |
18 |
12 |
5 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Western Region |
146 |
94 |
18 |
34 |
71 |
11 |
|
Clare |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
|
Galway West |
26 |
13 |
6 |
7 |
11 |
4 |
|
Mayo |
103 |
65 |
12 |
26 |
44 |
6 |
|
Roscommon Galway East |
15 |
14 |
0 |
1 |
14 |
1 |
|
Total |
438 |
224 |
114 |
100 |
152 |
29 |
