Patrons Barred From Late Night Drinking

The new laws putting restrictions on the sale and availability of alcohol came into force on Tuesday.

The Intoxicating Liquor Act 2008 means off-licences will now close at 10pm, and will give new powers to gardaí.

From Tuesday, supermarkets will be required to sell drink from an area separated from other produce, and gardaí may seize alcohol from minors and issue fixed penalties for public order offences. Controversially, the laws also restrict opening times of pubs, clubs and other licensed outlets.

At the beginning of the month hundreds of people took part in a demonstration outside the Dáil to call for the retention of late opening hours for nightclubs. Under the proposals, premises with theatre licences, which allow them to stay open until 3.30am, would only be allowed open until 2.30am. The protestors set up a DJ box in front of Leinster House and asked the Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern to introduce a new nightclub permit to replace it.

The Minister for Justice said the new law aims to tackles the increased visibility and availability of alcohol.

Also this month, the government imposed new restrictions on the amount of alcohol advertising including a limit on advertising to only 25% of advertising space in any media at any time. Advertising drink on media where more than 25% of the audience is under 18 is now banned and there is also a ban on sponsorship by drink companies of sports events where participants are under 18.

The government says new laws are to tackle the alcohol abuse, underage drinking and "too much drinking in public areas".

(DW/JM)