Bushmills deal highlights Irish alcohol ban dilemma

THE EMERGENCE of Bushmills Irish Whiskey as an official sponsor of the Irish Open golf has underscored concerns voiced by an Irish Minister this week that the sports sector in Ireland will suffer if a proposed ban on alcohol industry sponsorships goes ahead.

 

The deal between Bushmills and next month’s Irish Open trades on the close geographical links between the Old Bushmills Distillery and this year’s Irish Open at Royal Portush Golf Club in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. 

 

The success at Majors in recent years of Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy, Darren Clarke and Graeme McDowell also influenced the decision to sponsor by Bushmills, which partners the Irish Rugby Football Union as the governing body’s official spirit.

 

With the Irish Open costing an estimated £4m to organise, however, it is just the type of event-funding deal that is under threat from a proposed ban on alcohol sponsorship in Ireland.

 

According to recommendations on “substance misuse” made to the Irish government within a national strategy report on the issue, such sponsorships should be phased out by 2016.

 

However, this week, Ireland’s Sports Minister Leo Varadker said a ban was "not practical in the foreseeable future" and that such a move would have a "negative impact" on sporting bodies.

 

"It would have a negative impact on the finances of sporting organisations and result in fewer people playing sport,” he said. “It would make our participation in tournaments like the Heineken Cup very difficult, and Ireland would not be able to host the tournament’s final."

 

Varadker said he supported the central aim of the strategy to reduce alcohol consumption and binge drinking. But he added: "Ideally, we would like to reduce or remove drink sponsorship of sport by the alcohol industry as a very long-term objective. I don’t believe it is practical in the foreseeable future.”