Calls for Government to publish legislation modernising licensing laws

The Licensed Vintners Association (LVA) and the Vintners Federation of Ireland (VFI) have called on the Government to publish legislation which would modernise licensing laws, introducing reforms which would “streamline the pub industry for the next generation”.

The present system is based on a patchwork of 100 laws — some of which are over 200 years old and two thirds of which pre-date the foundation of the State 100 years ago.

The LVA and the VFI said the legislation, proposed by the Government, has been due for publication for some time.

Both organisations say they strongly support many of the key reforms proposed by the Government for inclusion in the legislation such as the standardisation of opening hours for pubs, the creation of new annual permits for late bars and nightclubs, to replace the current system where a special exemption order is required every time such a venue wants to open after normal hours, and the responsibility for licensing moving from the Circuit Court to the District Court.

Speaking to The Echo, president elect of the VFI, Michael O’Donovan — who owns The Castle Inn on South Main St — said such reforms would be transformative for publicans.

“These reforms would streamline the pub industry for the next generation… it would future-proof the hours for decades to come and also, a lot of the legislation, it would tidy that up and make it more understandable for publicans going forward and not having laws that are back from 100 years ago,” he said.

In a letter sent to TDs signed by Donall O’Keeffe, CEO of the LVA, and Pat Crotty, CEO of the VFI, they said: “We understand this legislation is close to finalisation, all that is missing is the Government’s willingness to publish.

“Taking into account the timeframes remaining in this Oireachtas, we are concerned that failure to publish in the very near future will see the effective death of this legislation through inaction, meaning the Government will effectively be scrapping their own policies.”

The letter also said that some of the recent public commentary on the legislation “has wrongly characterised the proposed nightclub permit as facilitating all pubs being open all night”.

“This will clearly not be the case as the requirements of the nightclub permit are extremely demanding — requirements that we fully support.

“The overwhelming majority of pubs in Ireland will continue to trade their usual trading hours, and the sector will continue to be tightly regulated.”

A spokesperson for the Department of Justice said it is the justice minister’s intention to separate the Sale of Alcohol Bill into two bills.

The spokesperson said the minister first intends to introduce the Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2024, described as a “shorter bill to introduce a number of key reforms contained in the Sale of Alcohol Bill 2022”.

They said the terms of this bill “are currently being finalised and the minister hopes to publish it in the coming months”.

“Whilst scheduling is a matter for the Oireachtas, it is hoped that the bill will be enacted this year,” the spokesperson added.

“Work will continue to progress on the other provisions in the General Scheme of the Sale of Alcohol Bill 2022 to modernise our liquor licensing laws thereafter.”