Poll: Do we need a crackdown on cheap drinks promotions?

THE ISSUE OF drinks promotions has been in the spotlight in the wake of the crush incident among some 1,500 people queueing to get in to Copper Face Jacks nightclub in Dublin on Monday night.

The club had lowered its admission age to 18s for the firsts time on the night, and was running a promotion called ‘Messy Mondays’ — offering drinks for €3.50.

While temporary ‘happy hour’ offers aren’t legal in Ireland, clubs often offer drinks at reduced prices on weekday nights in a bid to attract the college crowd.

Alcohol Action Ireland claims such deals encourage “harmful binge drinking” and says the name of the promotion was a “clear statement of intent”.

This morning, we’re asking: Do we need new laws to tackle cheap booze in pubs?