February 8, 2024. More than 65 health, social and community organisations, academics and advocates, have come together to voice strong opposition to proposed measures in the Sale of Alcohol bill that will dramatically increase the number of venues serving alcohol, as well as significantly extending the opening hours of pubs, bars and nightclubs.
The open letter to the three government party leaders – An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Micheál Martin, and Minister for the Environment, Climate, Communications and Transport, Eamon Ryan – is an urgent call for this government to fully assess the implications of increased alcohol availability.
CEO of Alcohol Action Ireland Dr Sheila Gilheany said: “This letter shows the deep disquiet in the health and social community and makes a shared call for an immediate health impact assessment (HIA) of this legislation to be carried out. We have been calling for this from the very start of this legislative process and the question must be asked – why doesn’t this government want to carry out a HIA?
“We, and all of the organisations listed (66), from health to community groups, to academics and individuals, are simply asking the government to know what the health, social and financial costs of these proposals will be before they jump into it. This is not too much to ask.
To date, the Minister for Justice, when asked about plans for a HIA has hidden behind references to consultations which have already been carried out. Such consultations provide useful views, but they do not replace the need for specific data on the numbers and funding levels of Gardaí, medical, social and transport services which will be required to deal with the fallout from this legislation.
While it appears that government is not troubled about these issues, polling on this bill highlights that the public are certainly worried with 67% of people concerned about the potential impact on public services (such as Emergency Departments, ambulances, Gardaí, and transport) due to the proposed extension of opening hours for pubs, late bars, and clubs.
We look forward to hearing a response from the party leaders on this matter without further delay.”
Editor’s notes:
For media enquiries and interview requests, please contact:
Conor Keane, AAI Communications Officer,
Tel: 087 995 0186
Email: conor.keane@alcoholactionireland.ie
Read the full letter and see the full list of signatories here:
Sale-of-Alcohol-Bill-open-letter-new.pdf (alcoholireland.ie)
ENDS
- Dr Sheila Gilheany, CEO, Alcohol Action Ireland
- Prof Frank Murray, Chair, Alcohol Health Alliance Ireland
- Paula Leonard, CEO, Alcohol Forum
- Cllr Vincent Jackson, Chair, Ballyfermot Local Drug and Alcohol Taskforce
- Hugh Greaves, Coordinator, Ballymun Local Drug and Alcohol Taskforce
- Suzanne Connolly, CEO, Barnardos
- Prof John Ryan, Consultant Hepatologist and Founding Director, Irish Liver Foundation Charity, Beaumont Hospital
- Colm Walsh, Coordinator, Bray Local Drug and Alcohol Taskforce
- Tanya Ward, Chief Executive, Children’s Rights Alliance
- Trevor Bissett, Coordinator, Clondalkin Drug & Alcohol Task Force CLG
- Andrea Ryder, Manager Communication, External Affairs & Policy, College of Psychiatrists of Ireland
- Martin O’Connor, Assistant CEO, COPE Galway
- Gordon Kinsley, Cork and Kerry, Alcohol Strategy Group
- Aaron O’Connell, Chair, Cork Local Drug and Alcohol Taskforce
- Orlaith Kennedy, CEO, Dental Health Foundation
- Jim Ryan, Chairperson, DLR Drug & Alcohol Task Force
- Carol Moore, Trustee, Dual Diagnosis Ireland
- Damien Lynch and Dominic Foley, Chair and Honorary Secretary, Environmental Health Association of Ireland
- Scott Casson-Rennie, COO, FASD Ireland
- Evelyn Fanning, Chairperson Galway City Alcohol Forum
- Dr Caitríona McCarthy, Consultant in Public Health Medicine, HSE National Cancer Control Programme
- Dr Brian Osborne, Assistant Medical Director, ICGP
- Dr Owen Keane, Honorary Secretary of IAEM and Consultant in Emergency Medicine, Irish Association of Emergency Medicine
- Irish Cancer Prevention Network
- Amy Rose Harte, Head of Advocacy Campaigns, Irish Cancer Society
- Orla Fagan, National Lead, Irish Community Action on Alcohol (AFI)
- Chris Macy, Director of Advocacy and Patient Support, Irish Heart Foundation
- Dr John Cannon, President, Irish Medical Organisation
- Donna Price, Founder and Chairperson, Irish Road Victims Association
- Caroline Kennedy-Crawford, President, Irish Student Health Association
- Caroline O’Sullivan, Director of Services, ISPCC
- Prof Stephen Stewart, Consultant Hepatologist, Mater Hospital
- Colin Fowler, Director of Operations, Men’s Health Forum Ireland
- Fiona Coyle, CEO, Mental Health Reform
- Michael Lacey and Helen Ryan, Chairperson and Coordinator, Mid-West Regional Drug and Alcohol Forum
- Philip Maree, Service Lead, M-PACT, Moving Parents and Children Together
- Dr Eve Griffin, CEO, National Suicide Research Foundation
- Orla O’Connor, Director, National Women’s Council of Ireland
- John Williams, Operations Manager, No Name Club
- Andy Ogle, Coordinator, North Eastern Regional Drug & Alcohol Task Force
- Susan Gray, Founder and Chairperson, PARC Road Safety Group
- Emmet Major, Planet Youth Coordinator, Western Region, Planet Youth
- Dr Maria O’Dwyer National Coordinator, Prevention and Early Intervention Network
- Dr Clíona Saidléar, Executive Director, Rape Crisis Network Ireland
- Siobhán Creaton, Head of Communications and Public Affairs, Royal College of Physicians of Ireland
- Mary McDermott, CEO, Safe Ireland
- Ailbhe Smyth, Patron, Silent Voices, an initiative of Alcohol Action Ireland
- Keith Cassidy, Clinic Manager, Smarmore Castle Treatment Centre
- Gordon Kinsley, Development Worker, Southern Regional Drug and Alcohol Taskforce
- Grace Hill, Coordinator, Tallaght Drug & Alcohol Task Force
- Dr Frank Houghton, Director- Social Sciences ConneXions, Technological University of the Shannon
- Prof Norah Campbell, Trinity Business School and Co-Lead on the Commercial Determinants of Health Lab, Trinity College Dublin
- Dr Zubair Kabir, Senior Lecturer: Public Health & Epidemiology, University College Cork
- Prof Orla Crosbie, Consultant Hepatologist, University College Cork
- Prof Ray Walley, GP and Assoc. Clinical Professor General Practice, University College Dublin
- Paddy Creedon, Chair, Voices of Recovery, an initiative of Alcohol Action Ireland
- Joe O’Neill, Chair, Western Region Drug and Alcohol Taskforce
- Dr Hugh Gallagher, Integrated Alcohol Service, Addiction Services Dublin North City & County
- Marianne Beasley, Planning Law & Environmental Mgt. Consultant. Legal, Mediation & Arbitration Services
- John and Anne Higgins, Public Health Advocates, Ballina Co. Mayo
- Carol Fawsitt, Co-founder, Silent Voices; Former chair, Alcohol Action Ireland
- Anthony Cotter, Former Regional Director in the Probation Service, Dept of Justice.
- Patricia Kelly, Rhode, Co. Offaly
- Angela King, Dublin 2
- Dr Mary T O’Mahony, Consultant in Public Health Medicine
- Mick Devine, Specialist in addiction treatment
