Restaurants and bars across Ireland are hosting “bottomless brunches” that appear to contravene national alcohol legislation, according to a new study involving researchers at Technological University of the Shannon (TUS).
The paper, Deficits in Alcohol Enforcement Legislation in Ireland: Bottomless Brunches, published in the journal Epidemiology, Biostatistics & Public Health, highlights “numerous examples” of venues offering unlimited alcohol for a fixed price over a set time period.
This practice contravenes provisions of the Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018 which prohibits promotions likely to encourage excessive consumption.
Authored by Niamh McGrath, a second-year BSc Applied Psychology student at TUS; Dr Frank Houghton, lecturer in the Department of Applied Social Sciences at TUS, and Dr John Lombard, lecturer in the School of Law at the University of Limerick, the study raises concerns over a lack of enforcement.
In under four hours of online searching, researchers identified 18 establishments offering bottomless brunch deals: five in Dublin, five in Cork, two in Limerick, two in Galway, and one each in Kilkenny, Sligo, Tipperary, and Athlone. The drinks on offer included Prosecco, Mimosas and Bellinis.
The article points out “alcohol remains a clear and present danger to population health in Ireland” and as a result the Government passed the Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018.
The authors cite the regulations from the Act which came into operation in 2021 and say: “It is arguable that these public health regulations are being breached by the provision of so-called ‘bottomless brunches’, wherein, for a set fee, unlimited alcohol is provided alongside food for a set time period.”
The study was the first publication from the Volunteer In Psychology Education Research (VIPER) programme. VIPER provides psychology students with hands-on research experience to strengthen pathways into postgraduate study and research careers.
First author Niamh McGrath said: “This research shows how widespread bottomless brunches are across Ireland, despite the legislation that exists to prevent this type of alcohol promotion. As a student researcher, being part of this project has been an incredible opportunity to contribute to important public health discussions.”
Dr Frank Houghton, co-author and the lead of the VIPER programme at TUS, added: “Alcohol remains a clear and present danger to population health in Ireland. The Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018 was a landmark piece of legislation, but without robust enforcement it risks being undermined by practices such as bottomless brunches. Direct and purposeful leadership is now needed to protect public health.”
The authors warn that “alcohol control legislation without robust enforcement may be of little use in restricting illegal alcohol promotion”.
They conclude that Ireland has “exhibited a lack of leadership in relation to alcohol control in the past” and that “direct and purposeful leadership is now required” to tackle practices that encourage excessive drinking.