Urgent action needed on unlicensed ‘dial a drink service’ – Seery-Kearney

Urgent prosecutions are required to deal with the unlicensed and unregulated dial a drink services advertised on social media, a Fine Gael Senator has said.

Dublin Senator Mary Seery-Kearney said anonymous online services, without accountability or oversight, are delivering alcohol to people of all ages, at their place of choice.

She believes this unregulated practice could further fuel unsafe parties and social gatherings of younger people given the current climate of public health restrictions.

Senator Seery-Kearney, Seanad Spokesperson on Children, Disability, Equality, Integration and Privacy Rights said, “This is an alarming situation that cannot continue and should be stopped with immediate effect.

“I saw some Facebook pages which were advertising alcohol sales the weekend before last and offering packs of a variety of alcohol for “late night party people.”

“The Gardai need to act with urgency to stop this occurring. We need to see prosecutions.

“The availability of such a service by unlicensed entities, which could be contributing to the Covid numbers amongst young people, contributes to anti-social behavior in parks and public places where underage drinkers can arrange for drink to be delivered to them by these unscrupulous sellers.

“The individuals offering this service are not identified. They merely offer a mobile phone number, and they appear to bear no responsibility for the age of the people they deliver and sell the alcohol to, nor to the condition or ability to drink further of those in receipt of these deliveries.”

“I am calling on the Minister for Justice to review the law on these alcohol delivery enterprises.

“We cannot afford to have people drinking alone who may be experienced stress of mental health issues during an extended restrictions period, or indeed others who use services like this to flout restrictions,” Senator Seery-Kearney concluded.