The Vintners Federation of Ireland has called on the Government to introduce a mandatory identity card to combat under-age drinking.
Publicans are finding it increasingly difficult to judge the age of customers, and the take-up of the voluntary age card has been minimal, with only 60,000 being issued since April 1999. The federation is calling for a compulsory ID system similar to those in many EU countries.
There is also a growing concern at the practice of older family members and friends and even parents purchasing alcohol for those under age. The VFI is calling for the enforcement of fines where adults knowingly order alcoholic drinks for those under the legal age.
Speaking at the organisation's annual conference in Limerick yesterday, the VFI president, Mr Richard Dunne, told 500 provincial publicans that the federation's members were responsible publicans who did not condone under- age drinking, but were hampered by the fundamental problem of accurate age identification.
Without a mandatory national age card, there were tremendous difficulties in accurately assessing a person's age.
"Identity cards are not popular among Irish people, but publicans need some assistance on this issue. If a young person presents himself or herself at a bar requesting a drink and claiming to be 18 years or over, the publican must make an instant judgment.
"As we have seen on the television regarding the pop group Six, the 16-year-old girl from Derry was able to fool the whole country that she was 18 years or over."
He added: "If a publican refuses service to someone over 18, he will be challenged under the Equal Status Act 2000."
According to the VFI, the only group held responsible by law for under-age drinkers are liquor-licence holders.
"Publicans cannot be held wholly responsible for the problem of under-age drinking in the community.
"We are not baby-sitters and parents have a responsibility to ensure alcohol is out of the reach of their children while also being aware of their child's social behaviour and whereabouts.
"A publican who repeatedly and obviously sells drink to under-age persons is in deliberate violation of the law and should face its full force," he concluded.
The VFI also urged their members to install closed circuit TV cameras (CCTV) to ensure a safer environment for both customers and staff.
The chief executive of the VFI, Mr Tadg O'Sullivan, said publicans were concerned about public-order offences, with a 97 per cent increase in such incidents between 1996 and 2000.
He added that CCTV was an invaluable tool in tackling the problem of under-age drinking. The publican would merely have to hold the ID card presented by the young person towards the camera for a record of the ID to be taken and to verify the publican's efforts to identify the customer's age.