Ministers have rowed back on an “over the top” plan to ban the sale of takeaway pints.
The Cabinet met this morning to thrash out the controversial proposal to rein in the spike in drinking in public following a number of social media posts showing revellers on the streets.
Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, brought the official memo after consulting with the Attorney General, the Government’s legal adviser, Paul Gallagher.
It suggested ways to ban pubs selling takeaway drinks and further curbs on more than two people gathering in public to drink their pints.
But it was rejected by the wider Cabinet after resistance from minister members of all three parties, Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Greens - although it was “far from unanimous” according to one source.
It was going to be legally difficult for the Government to introduce a rule to ban the sale of takeaway drinks from pubs anyway, while, for instance, allowing a restaurant sell takeaway alcohol.
Ultimately the Cabinet has decided to drop the proposal and stick to enforcing the laws as they stand.
Earlier this morning, Labour leader, Alan Kelly, slammed the proposed ban as “daft” and “over the top.”
He said: “It is daft that this issue is being given such a response given a tweet in the last 24 hours.
“Put simply, I believe they should implement the law as is.
“If they implemented and enforced the law as is, I don’t think we’d be dealing with this issue today which has gone way over the top as regards the way in which restaurants or pubs are allowed to offer takeaway.”
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