A state-sponsored initiative on alcohol, designed to assist pub-owners to develop procedures for dealing with drunkenness, under-age drinking and drink-driving, was announced yesterday.
The Responsible Serving of Alcohol (RSA) programme was initiated by the Minister for Health and Children, Mr Martin, following consultation with the drinks industry and "takes on board the needs of publicans and staff".
The programme, piloted by CERT, gives guidelines on how to:
avoid selling alcohol to under18s.
refuse services to intoxicated customers.
identify signs of increasing intoxication.
handle difficult people.
The RSA also gives publicans "the facts about alcohol and its effects on the body" and suggests ways to prevent customers becoming intoxicated.
Twenty members of the Vintners' Federation of Ireland, the first group to complete a course of training under the programme, were presented with certificates by the Minister yesterday.
"Bar staff will benefit from having a better understanding of the product they sell," Mr Martin said. "It will be beneficial for publicans because their establishments will gain a reputation for being well run and therefore a more enjoyable venue for socialising in."