Minister rejects local cllr's call to stop zero-alcohol drinks being sold to minors

A call for a change in the laws governing the sale of low alcohol and 00 alcohol drinks to people under the legal drinking age has been rejected by the Minister for Justice.

The call was made at a meeting of Meath County Council last September when a notice of motion tabled by Fianna Fail councillor Tom Behan was backed by other members of the council.

In a response from the Minister for Justice the county council was told that as non-alcoholic drinks “are not alcohol products”, they were, therefore not covered by the Sale of Alcohol Bill 2022. The Minister’s office said that in correspondence to the county council last February, legislation being proposed provided that it is an offence to sell alcohol to minors and intends to strengthen the rules around age verification in relation to distance sales.

In one recent court case at Trim District Court a man was fined e400 to buying alcohol on behalf of a minor