Introduction
The proposal to ban sponsorship of sporting events by alcoholic
beverage companies signals that the continuing debate on problems
with alcohol and drugs in Ireland is still at the fore. Aside from
considerations of how alcohol and drugs affect the social side of
life, what about the risks they pose when used in the workplace (or
when they have been used socially but their after-effects still
pose a risk)? Should the government now review the decision,
confirmed by the Health and Safety Authority ('HSA'), not
to enact regulations or a code of practice for employers on testing
for intoxicants in the workplace?
Being under the influence of an intoxicant in the workplace can
lead to accidents, poor performance and behavioural difficulties,
and is traditionally dealt with by employers as a disciplinary
issue. However, since employees have a statutory obligation not to
attend work under the influence and employers have a statutory
obligation to take all
