The Tourism Minister has described some of the criticisms of Arthur's Day as "pontification" and an "over-reaction". Leo Varadkar was speaking after the Diageo event came under fire for promoting drinking.

The company declined to foot the bill for alcohol-related illnesses arising from events yesterday but did contribute to the costs of extra policing.

It follows comments yesterday from Education Minister Ruairí Quinn, who suggested the parent company should be asked to cover some of the extra costs of running A&E wards on Arthur's Day.

Mr. Quinn said the public should not be left out of pocket if public services are stretched as a result of the promotion and that if the event is going to remain an annual occasion, there should be a system to monitor its impact on hospitals.

These women from the US salute Arthur Guinness at 17:59

"If this is going to be a recurring event there should be an accountancy system put in place that would enable somebody to take out that cost relatively simply - we don't want to overload it" he said.

"But if there was a spike in normal traffic coming through in accident and emergency in our hospitals that should be able to be monitored as well" he added.

Yesterday marked the fifth annual Arthur's Day, an event originally held four years ago to mark the 250th birthday of the Guinness Brewery.

While doctors have also attacked the event. Professor Frank Murray, Chair of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland's Policy Group on Alcohol said with high rates of alcohol consumption and binge drinking, we do not need another reason to drink.

But Minister Leo Varadkar says Arthur's Day attracted no more anti-social behaviour than any other music festival or sporting event.