Delegates pass motions to promote a change in attitude towards drinking

The AGSI has urged the Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, to embark on a major crackdown on teenage drinking and drink- related public order offences.

At its annual conference yesterday delegates passed a number of motions to promote a change in attitude towards drinking. However, a motion calling for fast-food outlets to be licensed was defeated. If such outlets were licensed, their opening hours could be restricted if the need arose. Some members believe late-night fast-food outlets can be flashpoints for drink-related violence. Many were close to pubs and nightclubs with the result that drunk people lingered on the streets well after closing time. Others said it would be unfair to target such businesses because alcohol was the cause of much of the late-night trouble.

While 18-year-olds are legally permitted to go into nightclubs, many officers, along with nightclub owners, believe it is time to increase the age to 21. Much of the violence in these premises is caused by teenagers, they say.

The AGSI is also calling for an amendment to the Intoxicating Liquor Act to prohibit 15- to 18-year-olds being on licensed premises unless accompanied by an adult. Under the current legislation only those under 15 have to be accompanied by an adult.

The AGSI has also called on Mr McDowell to amend further the licensing liquor acts in whatever way he can to lessen teenage drinking. Earlier this week, the Minister vowed to get tough with publicans who sell alcohol to minors or to patrons who are drunk. He plans to allow plain clothes on-duty gardaí to frequent pubs to detect publicans breeching the current legislation. Currently, only uniformed gardaí can carry out inspections in pubs.

Meanwhile, delegates at the conference voted against a motion calling on the association's national executive to make a provision for a female member on the executive.

The national executive believes bias against women trying to get elected has never been proven because a woman has never put herself forward. Until such time as a woman did run and the system was found to be flawed, the executive said it would oppose any such measure.

However, delegates passed a motion calling on the national executive to press for a number of new human resources management initiatives including flexi-time, annualised hours and tele-working on a pilot basis.