Alcohol sales hours should be the same on Sunday as the rest of week: CSNA

The Convenience Stores and Newsagents Association (CSNA) has submitted views relating to licensing and sale of alcohol to the Department of Justice.

CSNA CEO Vincent Jennings said: “The Association have demanded that the current and totally unreasonable restrictions on Sunday be rescinded and that shops be permitted to sell alcohol at the same (10.30) time as permitted on the other days of the week.

The retailers association is also seeking changes to the Application and Court system. While it accepts there is a judicial aspect to new and transferral of licences, the CSNA believes renewals are an administrative function and should be carried out in by Revenue and NELO.

The CSNA also says online sales and remote delivery as it is an area that needs a greater level of accountability.

“We have suggested to the Department the streamlining of licences rather than the current arcane models employed,” Mr Jennings says.

He continues to comment that “ the Association have demanded that the current and totally unreasonable restrictions on Sunday be rescinded and that shops be permitted to sell alcohol at the same (10.30) time as permitted on the other days of the week”.

CSNA has also asked the Department to arrange the annual publication of statistics regarding Test Purchasing of Alcohol by underage volunteers working alongside AGS.

These statistics should include the instances of each style of licence visited and the outcomes by individual Garda Divisions, it says.