Minimum alcohol pricing is nigh

No you are classest and quite possibly agest.

Why should a retired couple be penalised for having a 4pk of beer and a bottle of wine a week with dinner or some TV.

Should this just be the reserve of people with money?

Should they make a choice between enjoying one night themselves a week or buying stuff for the grandkids at Christmas. That's the actual reality of what you are talking about here. Not the notion of the off their head mad drinker.

You are advocating for penalising people just for living. Just for standing still in this country. What little luxuries should people have in your opinion. Shoot go for it. Tell me what these individuals should and shouldn't be allowed to do in the little time we have here.

So prohibition for the poor, like it or not that is what you are advocating for. And the irony is we know for a fact from when it was tried way back in the US and how poorly the so called war on drugs has gone that prohibition and making things illegal simply doesnt work and people turn to worse stuff supplied by criminals.

If people are so concerned about old people and the poor why aren't the likes of Age Action Ireland or any other older persons advocacy group coming out against this?

And to the original point of my reply why aren't SF, Labour, SD etc who support the working class coming out against this rather than being fully behind it (remember SD leader Roisin Shortall was an early advocate of MUP and SF wanted the minimum price to be higher than it was set at) ?

You see the reality is, less alcohol consumption is better for you.

So for the example you gave, why don't they start to cut down to 2pk and a bottle of wine a week.

Their bodies will thank them for it.

Inexplicably this seems to be the case.If you go by this thread alone that has been running for years then there's about 95% opposition to this version of MUP (I'd imagine they're would be general support for some sort of intelligent well thought out plan )

It's hard to fathom,I suppose this thread could be a weird echo chamber where the overwhelming majority of the view of the thread is not reflected in general society.The best example of this being the hilarious but often scary Restrictions thread when covid was really bad.I don't think that's the case here though,anybody I spoke too is raging about this,even a few non drinkers and ex drinkers who see the stupidly of it and are angry this is being sold as a health measure.

People don't like extra taxes/regulations etc but when you have to pay more for something, it's totally self inflicted and then you're told it's for your own good (when it clearly isn't and is a badly thought out load of sh1te) that rightly p1sses people off.

Once again I ask you. If they cut down to 2 cans not 2 pack as you no doubt attempted to skew consumption. And a bottle of wine it still costs more over 150 euro. They are still being penalised for standing still. Just living.

Why.

Its not good enough just to throw costs on to the population 'just because'.

People have meagre enough existences here already with our costs of living.

But you think it's OK to lump more on top

Why.

The COVID restrictions thread is a poor example of a consensus on Boards. The thread was dominated by a handful of people that weren't interested in debate, but just posting about how right they were. There was also a parallel thread with a more balanced view.

On both threads on MUP, the consensus is that the measure isn't wanted. Will it work at reducing overall alcohol consumption? Tbh it probably will. But it will also have a load of unintended consequences: a proliferation of backyard offies, booze runs to Newry, the closure of legitimate off licenses within an hour's drive of the border. It may also result in some people increasing their consumption, as they stockpile after booze runs.

Will it reduce problem drinkers consumption? The jury is still out there. When you have an addiction, it tends to come first above all else so we could start to see food and fuel poverty as alcohol purchases are prioritised by these individuals.

I personally have a few issues with this policy. I have a small family and don't get to go to the pub often. My idea of a night out is taking two cans from my 24 for €24 slab, my pack of tayto and relaxing with my partner after the children have gone to bed on a Friday night. Absolutely mad I know. The price per year of this simple "luxury" has now jumped from €144 to €270. The measure won't stop me doing it, I'll just end up paying more for it - like the vast majority of responsible drinkers. What am I paying extra for?

I'd mind an awful lot less if I knew that the extra I was paying was going towards the State, but no. This bonkers measure has the extra going to sellers who can no longer compete with each other.

And the final kicker is the way we are being gaslighted about this being a public health measure. It isn't. It's a market intervention to make the gap smaller between pub and off trade prices to make them appear relatively more competitive. Done under the cloak of public health of course.

Don't piss on me and tell me it's raining. Don't tell me this is for public health reasons when it's right there in your manifesto as a measure to support pubs.

After getting my esb bill today, I've gone from irritated to furious with this new legislation. I'm worn out from the cost of living and stupid legislation like this is tone deaf right now from a spineless government.

Yes, it's about being semi-professional about it really.

Couple going up in their Micra for a few bottles is inefficient.

3 people going up in a van/big car, splitting the cost of travel and buying a decent amount (€1K worth each) is definitely worthwhile from anywhere in the country. Knowing in advance where you are going and having a rough idea what you are purchasing (checking exact prices beforehand to maximise saving) will be a big advantage also.

You obviously don't know the code of the border road.

https://youtu.be/aiQ1kkknU_k

They are the same as from Spain or Germany.

Ok so, per person:

Spirits (for example whiskey, vodka and gin) = 10 litres

Intermediate products that contain 22% alcohol or less (for example sherry or port) = 20 litres

Wine (of which only 60 litres can be sparkling ) = 90 litres

Beer = 110 litres

https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/travel_and_recreation/travel_to_ireland/customs_regulations_for_travellers.html

Can of bud is 4.5% ? So you're looking at 2euro mark.

The limits will stop the students hiring people to take a busload back to them.

Only getting back to you now because I was busy all morning.

The opposition should have opposed this MUP con trick because it is against the interests of people drinking modest amounts.

They are paid to scrutinise legislation and represent their constituents.

They should have examined the claims put forward by all interest groups including AAI and doctors etc. and insisted on legislation which could actually help problem drinkers without penalising ordinary people.

The jig is up now, anyone can just go into a supermarket and look the proof is there on the shelves.

All the lies about targeting problem drinkers and only affecting strong alcohol are exposed.

As for your last point all I can say is try to empathise with the less well off.