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ENDA KENNY HAS weighed in on the growing debate surrounding this Thursday’s Arthur’s Day festival.
Asked today by Labour TD Robert Dowds if he supported a boycott of the campaign by Guinness manufacturer Diageo.
However, the Taoiseach said that Ireland’s problems with alcohol go far beyond one Thursday’s indulgences.
“It doesn’t take any particular day to have an impact on the situation in Ireland’s accident and emergency departments,” said Kenny.
“One only has to look at the fact that any time, 2,000 beds are taken up in our health system because of the consequences of drink for validation of that.”
Kenny went on to say that Ireland’s drinking culture is something that will have to be examined.
It is part of our culture that has to change. And because of the impact it has on the destruction of families and the societal change that it causes, not just because of the cost.
Kenny said that new legislation covering the sale of alcohol will go to sub-committee in the coming months.
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Has no one realised Oktoberfest Dublin is on in the docklands?
Ha ha ha ha ha brilliant.
I agree Stef just thinking the same as I cut through IFSC & saw Oktoberfest sponsor Erdinger beer signs surround the entire area. So it appears that it’s okay to have a drink festival for German beer but not for Irish stout?
Irish???
Our leader is such an imbecile.
I think Oktoberfest was more of a private affair as it was held in one area. It didn’t have huge advertisements for it and was solely aimed at those who enjoy German bee and not getting pissed from it. Also the security around it was really tight-you won’t get that on Thursday night!
Angela, on this he’s right!
Guinness is a Irish as the Union Jack.
The company has had its headquarters in London from 1932 onwards. It merged with Grand Metropolitan plc in 1997, and is now part of the British based multinational alcohol conglomerate Diageo.
Thanks Joe I was thinking this but to lazy to duckduckgo it.
Anyway it doesn’t really matter because corporate is corporate and they have no ties to any nation just the shareholders.
Also the Guinness family were very strong unionists.
Its paulaner not erdinger that sponsors it
If you’re going to try and correct people on the internet maybe do a quick Google search for confirmation before submitting.
Work in the IFSC and it’s all Erdinger.
Guinness is produced in Ireland so it is Irish!
Guinness family member Garech de Brun set up Claddagh Records and help formed The Chieftains, both pivotal in the resurgence of Irish Traditional Music Worldwide.
people this man is no fool what people should be asking is why no body being investigated in to the ANGLO tapes ,or is this the game changer where the political classes are telling us to fcuk of and stick your imageinery democracy where the sun dont shine ,sounds like it to me. but if you do not pay the bankers tax we will send in the stazi i mean revenue .
I think christy moore couldn’t come up with anything to rhyme with Octoberfest ;)
Eh not all of it. Diageo in Nigeria is a major producer of Guinness, along with a number of other countries. Saying that, I agree that it’s an Irish beer. It was originally brewed in Dublin by an Irish Brewer of Irish descent and a large proportion of it is still brewed here. it doesn’t matter a bit if they were unionists.
No he’s not! Miriam O’Callaghan (not the RTE on) is. She told him to say it.
Nonsense , I’m not a fan of Arthur’s day but trying to dismiss the Irish element of guiness is bullshit , it was invented here , once by far the largest employer in Dublin , the storehouse is currently the number one visitor attraction for tourists in Ireland with over a million visits a year , it’s owned by multinational but we shouldn’t be so quick to throw away Irish connections
So that makes Viagra, Botox & Coca Cola Irish products too??
It’s a mixture of both actually… both Paulaner and Erdinger host events here… Do a Google search before submitting.
Nice one Leslie!
Ah Christy Moore criticising Arthur’s Day. Is yer man still on that surfboard?
Good man Enda, maybe now is the time to rethink having a bar in your place of work….
I don’t understand the amount of reaction Arthur’s Day is getting this year.
Isn’t that just music to Diageos ears
I mean it’s a day of music in pubs. Just like every other Friday and Saturday night..
Day of music in Dublin pubs. Rest of the country its just a normal thursday. Wont be celebrating anyway. Might buy a pint of Beamish though.
You’re right. Its just an ordinary day, so why has it been hijacked by deagio ? Simple answer, they want to profit from the legendary vulnerability of the irish to drink. Deageo’s sole purpose in life is profit. It is not here for your entertainment and edification. We need to cop on as a people. We don’t need to give up the drink altogether, but we do need to resist aggressive and exploitative marketing campaigns that exploit a known weakness in our national psyche.
Whats wrong with diageo wanting to make profit.so do macdonalds and coca cola.there not exactly healthy either.its called business
Why can’t they hold it on a Friday or Saturday? According to diagio it’s all about the music and celebrating Arthur
It’s always on a Thursday because;
Arthur’s Day / Ar-Thursday.
Very clever from Diageo.
Stephen, fine, im not interested in bickering about it. Ive said my piece. I don’t care who agrees or disagrees. Green / red, I couldn’t give a shit.
Seeing as I’m not allowed include a certain non leader in a post I will include perhaps the biggest p1ss head in Ireland that was sure he would solve the drinking problem bu closing the off sales at 22.00.
For some reason Ireland and the Irish are associated with drinking since time began but stand back and look at other nations.
I see Eastern European folk drinking vodka like water and Germans enjoying their beer (some flippin beautiful beers there)
So why are the Irish worse and how come other nations aren’t under the spotlight.
The situation is the same worldwide, have a night out in London, Scotland or any major town or city.
I agree we have a bad name but it’s not just the Irish.
Mike, some, (lots ?), of the UK city centres are wild places late at night. A major problem is folk getting well under way before they actually go to town. Cheap alcohol from the big retailers at home is what starts the downward spiral. Big problem but no-one seems to be looking too hard for answers. Maybe there’s too much money being made in the pubs and clubs ?
I was actually thinking that myself Joseph.
If the government decided to cut retail giants and curtail the public houses they would loose a massive revenue intake.
Yesterday they were saying that something in the region of 22 million was taken in from the increase on wine. (I stand corrected if wrong).
Ireland has less agressive behaviour than most countries but our problems seem to be highlighted more.
I do agree that there is a binge problem alright and domestic issues but how can it be solved…
Education maybe ?.
Mike, I don’t think Ireland has a Binge-drinking/lout culture as bad as lots of UK cities. I do think that Ireland is much more self-critical and so the problem seems to be bigger/worse than it actually is, (purely my perception). I’d be more comfortable out at night in Dublin than, say, Manchester. Big generalisation, of course but a genuine comment. What tee’s me off, (mainly in UK), is seeing obviously drunk youngsters piling into pubs and clubs and being served more. Very little, if anything, seems to be done to call the licensees to account for any breach of their license. An ex-policeman friend, (London), once suggested it might have rather a lot to do with money talking and strong links between Licensees/Masons/Police. I have no evidence to support that supposition, however, and would be surprised if it was that widespread anyway.
I think your point about education is a valid one but I don’t know if any decision maker is that interested. I’d love to know what is apparently different in the mainland European psyche that we don’t see such mass behaviour in German, French, Italian, Spanish, (except the Ballearics), or Scandinavian/Nordic cities.
Ireland has its problems with alcohol but, from my experience at least, the big island to the East has a worse one. Others may well feel differently.
Apologies for the ramble. Old age.
Some very good points there Joseph and the comparison between the United kingdom is spot on except for a few things.
The United Kingdom have a huge police force that are highly visible at the trouble spots and take no sh1t.
The United Kingdom have a well staffed health service that have the backing to cope with most situations.
We however have a badly equipped Garda with very limited resources and no backing at all (apologies to the members as no jibe or insult is intended) and our health service is at breaking point due to cutbacks and again no backing worth talking about.
Now I’m sure kennys cronies will jump up and down to discredit me but the facts are the facts and visible to all.
This government are very good at the “smoke and mirrors” tactics.
Ireland has a booze problem but they will cut everything they can .
Heaven forbid we have riots or a major viral outbreak because our system cannot cope at all.
Apologies for my rant.
Here here! I believe this drinking culture is just as bad in the UK and Australia. The only other two countries I’ve lived in. But only Ireland seems to have the reputation of being drunks
Was in templebar recently ,the day of ireland v sweden game, place was a see of yellow, absolute madness , rounds of shorts and people on the p1ss at 3 in the afternoon and there was hardly a green jersey in sight.
Plenty of other nationalities share the stereotype with the Irish , problem is the cheap beer in the supermarkets , needs to be addressed for years now !
Beer is a lot cheaper and available from vending machines in Spain .
I heard that alright Richard and was told they partied all night and had a great time.
Mike, very valid points. The big island does have greater resources, even allowing for the difference in population. NHS has a poor reputation too, but in an emergency it is generally superb. Poor management…..leading to high costs, resource wastage and low staff morale seems to be the crux of the matter. er………….why does that sound familiar ?
Would agree that most city police forces do not suffer fools gladly and sometimes come in for criticism for being “heavy handed”, i.e. not taking any sh1t from drunken idiots. Long may that continue. Police vans with cages in the back seem to be pretty effective for rounding up said idiots.
Two things that, I think, the vast majority of folk expect from any government is top flight health service and well-resourced – and effective – policing. Gardai seem to be bound hand and foot in lots of areas, which must be horribly frustrating.
So if he’s so passionate about this then why is there a dail bar that’s open during debates!
Yes, Irelands drinking problem goes beyond one day but every little helps.
I was in the city center when Dublin beat Mayo and the amount of lads and ladies yelling and brawling was some sight to behold! In Temple Bar a young lad was yelling at an older gentleman because he was wearing a Mayo jersey. Then a few minutes later I passed a group of young girls (under 20 I’d guess) calling a mother with her kids a Mayo bitch. My point is that a victory for Dublin should of been celebrated with style and class and most of the Dubs in the pubs were clearly pissed and put the county to shame . Now if people want to celebrate Arthur’s Day, fine go ahead, but it’s the way the Irish “celebrate” and become animalistic bastards when they can’t hold their drink that is the serious problem here. And saying it’s case of the minority ruining it for the majority doesn’t hold water in the slightest!
Lauren,
I live in Drumcondra can see Croke. From gate. Sunday from late morning till around 10ish Pubs, side streets and footpaths were packed with both Mayo and Dubs fans. Lot of slagging, banter going on and yes they did get noisy, but no trouble. Something which I find admirable about GAA fans. They’re all out for a good time, so I rather think what you saw in Temple Bar was the exception as opposed to the rule and yes between what happens here and a lot of UK city centres no comparison.
Lauren, you’ve hit the nail on the head. I think its the combination of alcohol and youth that is the problem, and that link between alcohol and youth is the message being sold through Arthurs day.
Oh I agree with you from the banter point of view. Thats whats good about GAA. It’s just the after effects of when alcohol that ruins the banter between fans. I’m very sorry if that I wasn’t clear about. To be honest any event with a lot of alcohol involved for the celebration. I did not intend to besmirch the fans and the fun that was had. My apologies.
More free advertising for Diageo
I’d love a pint. As a friend in college used to say ‘you dont need an excuse to go on the piss’.
New legislation covering the sale of alcohol coming in the next few months. Ah FFS. Thats the cheap booze in off licenses gone I’d say.
Reading that just made thirsty
God. Do we have to follow everything the Brits do? Is there really a need to introduce a Nanny State to tell us what we can spend our money on? I’ll drink if I want to and last time I checked, private companies selling legal goods could market their products cleverly if they so wish.
It appears the whole country is to be treated as if they are alcoholics and forbidden to enjoy a few drinks. Honestly this is becoming tiring. Yes we have people with serious drink issues here but thats not to say everyone does and if those that are capable of imbibing responsibly wish to join in on the Arthur Day money spinner then so be it, let them and let them do so without guilt. For those worried about the underage or just of age getting smashed question the parenting and all that goes with it. And I’m not soapboxing here, i was 18 once and i was well able to make a show of myself…and did…many times. Not to say its cool kids but until we teach them another option, guess what?
Agree with you Jason.
How dare he take a swipe at our national pastime.
So Kenny has a cunning plan to deal with people who dare to like a jar? More tax.
They lead by example just look at the Dail bar.
Well done Enda, as always separate the politicians from the public. I wonder if he saw the 7k bar tab that was worked up during the over night debate about the abortion legislation and that was when they were supposed to be working
that is all right they seem to b able to do what they want drink an work together only in the dail.
Alcohol is the only thing stopping riots on the street against this puppet Vichy government. If Kenny sobers this country up he’ll be strung up.
As long as we use drink and culture together,there will be a problem…
Taoiseach Enda Kenny has produced many a non-committal, muddled response in his political career so far, but this one surely makes it into the top five.
The message in general is intentionally confused. Yes, Irish society does indeed have a long history of alcohol trouble (State the obvious! Political rhetoric 101…) but isn’t that all the more reason to be against a pseudo-holiday that so blatantly promotes drinking? Apparently not. Or maybe it is? Who knows? The Taoiseach never quite clarifies…
It is a true talent for a man to speak so much and yet say so little.
Good man Enda.
Put a ban on cheap booze sales in off-licences and have every southerner crossing the border to stockpile for house parties. While they’re at it they’ll do their shopping there too. Then your VAT receipts drop and you’ll be forced to impose harsher austerity.
The issue is not legislative, its cultural..
It’s not drink that’s the problem it’s the idiots who dont know how to behave once they’ve had a few.
Too many people out there use alcohol to fight depression and other problems.If prohibition was introduced over night there would be choas in hospitals.
New legislation covering the sale of alcohol? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Jesus bleedin christ.will you ever leave people alone.if someone wants to go for a pint and take in some festival spirit so be it.who bleedin cares.really
Stephen, fine if someone just wants to have pints and enjoy themselves. The problem is that the marketing machine behind this event encourages people to start drinking early (raise a glass at 17:59) and of course continue on for the night. The fall out is inevitably messy to say the least.
I had to go to Temple Bar last year on ‘Arthur’s’ day, (sober) it was anything but fun. Avoiding aggressive drunks and people getting sick is not my idea of a fun Thursday night.
in fairness would one even class temple bar as ireland. come on!!!
Yeah last time I checked it was in Dublin so …yep think that counts. (Also it was mainly Irish people there last year).
What, That little toe rag has done more damage to Ireland then Arthur’s Guinness, And besides maybe if he ARRESTED all the bakers who take people’s homes from them a lot of people would not drink……………..
I don’t think that’s very fair…Pat the Baker’s just trying to make a living like anyone else…
Lets not forget the Dail bar too!!!
As a recent Journal article pointed out there are bars in many other parliaments all over the world. We’re not hugely different in that regard.
Jim so that makes it okay so for Irish politicians to legislate whilst under the influence?
He should know as he and his buddies in the dail bar know all about drink .
Dead right Enda. The problem is cultural, not DIAGEO who are simply clever with their marketing. At least things like Arthur’s day pump some money into the economy
would they ever f**k off and allow us one of the few pleasures that we have left.
Don’t punish the many for the sins of the few.
This Government is doing as much as Diageo to increase drink sales – by driving people to drink through it’s policies , and behaviour !
Typical Ireland blame the marketing people for drumming up business for Guinness. Its one day and i for one will have a pint as i do most weekends with friends. Do i get drunk no,assault a stranger no,throw/urinate on the street no end up in a+e no.Why because i am sensible and respect alcohol.What about the publican that continues to serve when a person is clearly drunk,the supermarket that does not ask for identification,the off licence asst that fails to ask for id or the adult that buys drink for kids..Why not close down the guinness hop store as it gives visitors a fee pint,the midleton whisky visitor store free tasting,the jameson experience free tasting,the octoberfest in Cork or Dublin,that should stop tourism in its tracks……i notice all the people that are complaining have no problem with all the tourist attractions listed that hand out free tasting for the sole reason to generate sales…well be careful what you wish for as guinness is not irish it is owned by a uk business and it can just shut up shop here as they were threating to do not so long ago….then watch the same people complain about them leaving…
Does it upset people that he’s actually right? The problem isn’t about one day but the fact that too many Irish people have an unhealthy relationship with drink and the costs to our society are huge.
That being said I do find the whole Arthur’s Day a bit silly. It was fine as a one off celebration for the 250th anniversary but do we really need a day every year to celebrate a drink. We’re so easily led by marketing gurus. Somebody raised that point that there are other countries who also have huge consumption of alcohol but on worldwide scale the stereotype of the Irish drunk exists and events like this just add to that stereotype.
Bring back the Thursday nite buzz! Just like the good ole days. Arthursday every Thursday I says!
I don’t drink Guinness any more but I think we need more days like this…Like milk day…where Consultants can drain the coffers of the health board….Or mind your own business day…Where I can have a pint if I want..
How people behav is nothing to do with drink its how our society has changed to copy American and British influences drink just gives people excuse
All this crap with arthurs day is just butterin us up for a alcohol tax increase.. but the more they put it up the more people with load up at home before going out. Your a fool if you think it will lead to anything else
Yes Enda- we want your non committal views on this non- story. Much more important than you debating the important issues on the up coming referendum which your party is backing. Muppet.
Enda Kenny is just sickening!! If someone wants to enjoy a few drinks then that is their business! Leave the people alone Kenny! For f**k sake!
Salivating a few pints Thursday. Dep.
would they ever just leave us alone. yes we like to drink and no we dont need a reason and yes enda! scooby doo does have more of a clue than you do
The last time I checked Two paddies would drink to two snails racing across a field.. arturs day, christmas day, Monday, Tuesday… who cares… The drinks are on me…. yaaaaahh!!!!
Lets have a pint and relax!
Guinness is Irish in the same way that Google, facebook and twitter are…..profits go overseas where all the decisions are also made. Sure, they employ some Irish people but thats about it.
Our culture has to change?? I’m not so sure about that…. the mindset of u25s yes but who has let that develop?? Thankfully the pub scene was still alive when I was coming up and drink was a social thing (yeah of course i’ve slammed shots and all the rest) but the readily available cheap booze in any off licence has turned drinking into a different animal for young people. The majority of them are downing naggins and half bottles of wine in one go just to get off their head for a cheap night and i’ve witnessed decent kids being aggressive, fighting, girls peeing in shop doorways etc etc..We’ve always enjoyed a drink in this country but mainly on a very social level and for most of those over 30 it is still the same…Sadly a lot of younger people wouldn’t know how to interact in a pub.. Saying it is a cultural thing is a cop out in many ways- Where’s the regulation? The education? … Is obesity also a cultural thing? What else is cultural as opposed to our leaders sitting back and doing nothing?? … As always, we never act, just react when it’s too late.
They’re getting worried there won’t be anything left in the bank accounts when revenue come raiding! No more of this drinking lark!!!!!
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