Alcohol Action Ireland press release, Thursday, 19 March 2026
Alcohol Action Ireland (AAI), the national independent advocate to reduce alcohol harm, notes with concern the renewed call to extend alcohol licensing hours, with Ireland’s participation in this summer’s World Cup mooted as a possible ‘pilot programme’ for such an extension should the men’s team make it to the tournament in USA.
The Sale of Alcohol Bill 2022 aims to extend opening hours of pubs to 12:30am, late bars to 2:30am, and nightclubs to 6am. It also aims to introduce a new licence – a cultural amenity licence – for venues that don’t usually having a licence, while also revoking the requirement to extinguish a licence before opening a new premises.
AAI CEO Dr Sheila Gilheany said: “There is deep concern among public health advocates and the wider public about these proposals, which will increase the number and density of alcohol outlets. There is a comprehensive body of evidence, including from the World Health Organization, that shows increasing alcohol availability, whether through longer licensing hours or increased density of outlets, leads to a range of harms such as increased levels of violence including domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, public disorder, drink driving, hospital admissions and significant additional pressure on public services, not to mention the impact of extended opening hours on workload and worker safety.
“For example, a one-hour extension is associated with 34% more alcohol-related injuries requiring hospital treatment and a 30% increase in traffic collisions in rural areas, while Northern Ireland recorded a 17% increase in alcohol-related crime in the year following the extension of licensing hours in October 2021. These are just some of the immediate consequences and do not consider other harms such as cancer, heart and liver disease and very substantial mental health problems.
“Children and families will also bear the brunt of this proposed bill. Astonishingly, this proposed legislation is coming from the Department of Justice, the same department that is championing a zero-tolerance approach to domestic violence, even though research shows that where trading hours of pubs increase, so does domestic violence.”
Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee recently remarked that a government decision will be taken “at the time” on allowing pubs stay open for the early morning matches should Ireland’s men’s football team make it to the World Cup.
Dr Gilheany continued: “These games are due to take place at 3am or 4am on weekdays. What does Minister McEntee think is going to happen? Does she think people are going to set their alarm for the middle of the night and go to the pub to watch a match they can just as easily – if not more easily – watch at home? It’s not like we haven’t had the likes of Olympians competing at unsociable hours and we haven’t considered letting pubs stay open so people can watch them. Allowing pubs to stay open later will just lead to people consuming more alcohol which inevitably will lead to more harms.
“Research has also found that World Cup football is a risk factor for domestic violence. There is a significant body of research suggesting a complex relationship between sports, alcohol consumption and domestic violence. It must be stated that major sporting events do not cause domestic violence, as perpetrators are responsible for their actions, but the levels of alcohol consumption linked to the highly charged emotional nature of such events seems to increase the prevalence of such incidents. Moreover, research also argues that social contexts where excessive drinking is encouraged, such as through the promotion of alcohol during sporting events, are often permissive of violent behaviour and sexism, which can increase the likelihood of alcohol-related domestic abuse.
“Any move to allow pubs stay open later for the World Cup is the thin end of the wedge of increasing licencing hours and would be an own goal in government’s bid to tackle domestic violence as well as many other harms from alcohol. The proposals in the Sale of Alcohol bill will have impacts across multiple government departments with long-lasting consequences. Government and politicians must operate in evidence-based policy making and consider these issues with full facts, not just the views of vested interests.
“Alcohol is an addictive, psychoactive carcinogen which causes four deaths every day, necessitates the use of 1,500 hospital beds daily, as well as bringing devastation to families, disruption to workplaces and placing an enormous burden on our public services.
“A key recommendation of the Oireachtas Justice Committee in its pre-legislative scrutiny of the Sale of Alcohol bill is to have a Health Impact Assessment of the proposals. This call has been supported by road safety advocates and multiple other organisations and public health advocates. Any move to progress this bill without carrying out this important assessment would be a slap in the face to the public, those working on the front line picking up the pieces of flawed government policy and to the democratic process.”
ENDS
