Fark me, nothing annoys me more than when some self righteous won’t somebody please think of the children muppet with a smidgen of power starts threatening stupid things.
It’s bad enough that we are being hit with stealth taxes left, right and centre, now Drugs Minister Rosin Shorthall is amping up the call to eliminate cheap hooch too??
So what if alcohol is sold ‘dirt-cheap’ in supermarkets, so what if people can buy it with ‘pocket-money’? Are we all to suffer because SOME people can’t control their drinking habits? Alcohol is sold cheaply all over the continent of Europe, and people don’t go nuts ( well Belgiums might). Price is not the Irish problem, it’s our mentality about drink and it’s not going to make the blindest bit of difference to people’s behaviours if we don’t address that.
No, this is about money to coffers, and I’m dead set against it. If Superquinn want to sell excellent wine for less than a tenner, it doesn’t mean people are suddenly going to quaff wine all hours of the day and night, it might mean they can afford a bloody bottle or two for the weekend. I hate that the knee jerk response to everything in this country is to either ban something or price it to the sky. Rosin Shortall, I am against you. Keep your paws out of my pocket, confound you!
January 18, 2012 at 1:18 pm |
In full agreement with you FMC. Not that long ago on the Frontline/later with Vincent, can’t remember which it was, where hiking up the cost of convenience foods in order to combat obesity was the discussion.Unbelievable!!!
January 18, 2012 at 2:15 pm |
Immediately thought of this: http://youtu.be/0KroDpCBcxU
January 18, 2012 at 5:26 pm |
January 18, 2012 at 9:50 pm
Oh, Dylan, how I love you…
January 18, 2012 at 3:02 pm |
Shes pandering to the publicans on this one.
All the same, I would be in support of a ban on alcohol advertising. It’s way too interlinked with sports and way too in the faces of everyone including children.
January 18, 2012 at 3:06 pm |
am not for this – however – neither is daughter – or eldest son – both of whom know too much already – I’m therefore a little conflicted in my “not for this-ness”.
Apparently, when the supermarkets sell below cost – they can claim back VAT from revenue – no taxes due on losses – deliberate or otherwise.
This means that people are on trolleys waiting for hospitals beds because of cheap beer.
This means that somewhere on this island, a women is now going without a carer because of your support for cheap wine, FMC – it’s your fault.
This means that the pupil teacher ratio is escalating out of control – and that adhd children are not getting their deficit of attention attended to – and are consequently going on a deficit spree – killing things in a disorderly way – and all because of your cheap hooch.
So there
note to self – stop watching shameless.
January 18, 2012 at 3:55 pm |
But alcohol in here isn’t cheap by a long shot, just comparatively cheaper in supermarkets than in pubs/restaurants. *thinks wistfully of German supermarkets* Duty already runs at what, 9 million percent? And still we drink, heavily. If she thinks that alcohol in Irish supermarkets is cheap maybe I should take her by the hand down to Tesco Parnell Square on a Friday evening just after all the tourists have settled into their hotels and show her them walking up and down the wine aisle squealing in shock?
I suppose she has a point though, what with absolutely no one in Ireland smoking anymore as a result of the crazy taxes on cigarettes. Maybe she should go door to door asking people what they would spend their last penny on & we can all have our own personal tax rates. I could be in the 50% cake-tax-band
January 18, 2012 at 5:28 pm |
I had comment, it was eaten! But to paraphrase, aye to sport/drink no break up, no to here caro, Spain, cheap drink, oi vey, everywhere, me likey.
January 18, 2012 at 6:02 pm |
Did I hear one of the fools say that putting the extra €5 on the bottle of cheap vodka is what will make the difference?
Yea,cos after saving the €10 to get the bottle in the first place,it’s that extra €5 that will make them sit up and go –
“You know what,I think I’ll use that €10 I saved and put it towards my college fees instead.”
That’s what I would have done had my flagon of warm Linden Village been more expensive.
January 18, 2012 at 6:10 pm |
Heh, I’ll see your Linen Village and raise you a Buckfast.
January 18, 2012 at 7:20 pm |
Cheap alcohol? Less than €10?
Should I mention that I bought a CASE of perfectly lovely table wine for $36 (€28) this weekend?
I swear to God, I’m going to smack the next person I hear bitching about high taxes here. It’s friggin’ paradise, except of course for the complete lack of health insurance/safety net.
January 18, 2012 at 7:44 pm |
* tears of jealous rage* To be fair they’re selling excellent French and Spanish wine in Superquinn at the mo for 6 and 7 euros, not that I have any of it as every time I remind myself to get some it’s practically sold out.
January 19, 2012 at 1:33 am |
You can get cleanskin wine (decent local wine without labels) for a couple of euro per bottle over here in Oz. (maybe 4 aussie dollars each)
That said a pint in the pub can be about 6 euro.