The Licensed Vintners’ Association (LVA) and the Vintners’ Federation of Ireland (VFI) have called on the government to publish its legislation on the reform of licensing laws.
With Dáil Éireann due to go on its summer break on 11 July, the two groups have called for clarification.
‘Long-Promised Measures’
In a letter sent to TDs, signed by Donall O’Keeffe, CEO of the LVA, and Pat Crotty, CEO of the VFI, they wrote, ‘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.
‘Given the long-promised measures in this legislation aimed at assisting the pub sector, the government cannot allow this to happen.’
Legislation
Both the LVA and VFI support many of the key reforms proposed by the government for inclusion in the legislation, which is aimed at modernising the licensing regime.
These include the standardisation of opening hours for pubs, along with the introduction of an annual late-bar permit and an annual nightclub permit.
The two groups have also called for strengthening the powers of An Garda Síochána, to ensure that public safety and public order are maintained.
‘Long Overdue’
‘The overwhelming majority of pubs in Ireland will continue to trade their usual trading hours, and the sector will continue to be tightly regulated,’ the LVA and VFI noted in the letter.
‘Reform of licensing law is urgently required to facilitate the vibrancy of the night-time economy across the country – it is long overdue.’
