A Dublin politician has hit out at a proposal to place a five per cent levy on alcohol sold after midnight, describing it as "cynical gimmickry".
Mayo TD Dara Calleary has suggested the motion for debate at the Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis this weekend. He claims the so-called 'Cinderella tax' will help tackle the country's binge-drinking problem.
However, Fine Gael councillor Keith Redmond, who represents the Howth-Malahide county council, has said the idea is a "backwards Robin Hood tax", taking from the poor and giving to the rich.
The price of a pint would go up by about 25 cents after midnight if the proposal was brought in, which Redmond say would have "absolutely zero effect on drinkers", according to the Irish Daily Mirror.
Although a number of bars, particularly in Dublin's city centre, have already adopted the practice of raising prices after midnight, Redmond says it would encourage other establishments to take liberties with their prices.
“It also may encourage pubs and nightclubs to increase the price of drinks beyond five per cent, as this has set the precedent," he said.
