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Lipstick

Lipstick gives girls a licence to drink under age


The Beverage Council’s Bernard Murphy with identical 17-year-old
twins Lorraine and Lisa Munley.

 ALL it takes is a quick change from    midday and asks for a pint of Guinness
 school uniform into a trendy belly top, they’d probably be challenged, but
 add a slash of lipstick - and a 17-year- often they do it at busy periods when
 old girl is turned into a young woman.30 they’re not noticed.”
5 That’s why a compulsory identity card He recognised that some people
 for people up to 25 years should be objected to identity cards on the basis
 introduced to fight the “national that it represented a Big Brother
 scandal” of underage drinking, a drinks society. But he said it was a case of
 group said yesterday.35 deciding which was the greater evil.
10 “It’s impossible to guess their ages, “It’s make-your-mind-up time,” Mr
 appearances can be deceptive,” Murphy said. “Politicians are always
 Beverage Council of Ireland chief sounding off about underage drinking
 Bernard Murphy said. but the best they’ve come up with is a
 He said the voluntary scheme40 voluntary scheme. However the reality
15 introduced a year ago was not is we have a poor track record for
 working, with just 7 per cent or 26,000 signing up to what is not mandatory.”
 of Ireland’s 350,000-plus-population At the moment, Ireland is one of the
 aged between 15 and 19, signing on. EU states without an identity card
 This left off-licence and pub staff at an45 scheme.
20 unfair advantage. “We should “If it’s right for 11 other countries within
 recognise there is a problem and deal Europe and they can live with it, what’s
 with it in an objective way,” he said. wrong with us that we can’t [id:48938] it?”
 “Currently we’re dealing with it in a said Mr Murphy, who represents
 subjective way by leaving it to bar or50 alcoholic and non-alcoholic drink
25 door staff to guess. producers.
 “If a 15-year-old comes into a pub at The Sunday Independent