Government has decided against the introduction of fines for groups of people spotted drinking alcohol outdoors.
Earlier this morning it was reported that government authorities were looking to introduce fines for large groups congregating to drink alcohol outdoors, however, plans have since been put on hold due to significant opposition from members of Cabinet.
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has officially withdrawn a memo for Cabinet seeking to crack down on the ‘takeaway pints phenomenon’, which should it have been approved, would have entailed fines of €80 for groups of two or more people.
As it stands, there are already fines of €300 in place for those spotted drinking alcohol within 100 metres of a pub, with an additional €1,500 fine for the licence holder. Though there has been some confusion on the matter, drinking alcohol in public is not against the law – being drunk and disorderly is.
The memo, instigated by the Department of the Taoiseach, was met with by opposition from Fine Gael and Green party members, with Cabinet ruling that there was insufficient support for it to continue any further.
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