20/10/2005

All day drinking plans 'wide of the mark'

Suggestions that 24 hour drinking plans will be included in plans by the Government to extend licensing hours for bars in Northern Ireland are "wide of the mark", Social Development Minister David Hanson has said.

The Minister said he was responding to media reports that a proposal to allow 24 hour drinking will be included in the package of proposals he is soon to publish. The Government review will see a wide range of issues put out for public consultation, including enforcement and health promotion.

"Media reports have suggested that a proposal to allow 24 hour drinking will be included in the package of proposals which I am publishing. While opening hours is one of the issues which will be included in the consultation document, speculation that I am considering 24 hour opening is very wide of the mark," the Minister said.

On Wednesday, a leading University of Ulster academic said the introduction of 24-hour drinking into Northern Ireland would be a "recipe for disaster".

Victor Robinson, a lecturer in the University’s School of Nursing, said he was "petrified" at the potential consequences for Northern Ireland if 24-hour drinking was introduced here.

(MB/SP)

Related Northern Ireland News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

18 November 2024
Neurodiversity In The Workplace Centre Stage At Entrepreneurs Conference
The topic of neurodiversity within the entrepreneurial journey and in the workplace will be just one of the many topics of discussion happening at a new conference happening in Belfast this month.
19 October 2005
Academic 'petrified' over 24-hour drinking laws
The introduction of 24-hour drinking into Northern Ireland would be a 'recipe for disaster', a leading University of Ulster expert on addiction has said.
06 August 2024
O'Dowd Commits To High-Quality, Safe Drinking Water
Infrastructure Minister John O'Dowd has committed to ensuring homes and businesses across Northern Ireland have access to high-quality, safe drinking water.
05 September 2018
Water Safety And Quality Remains High Across NI
The safety and quality of drinking water in Northern Ireland remains high but there is "no room for complacency", the latest report from Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) has said.
01 August 2013
NI Drinking Water Quality 'High' - Report
The quality of drinking water in Northern Ireland remains exceptionally high, according to a new report published by the Drinking Water Inspectorate.