Publicans have once again criticised the law prohibiting the sale of alcohol on Good Friday, describing the law as "archaic" and "discriminatory".
The two main representative groups, the Licensed Vintners Association and the Vintners Federation of Ireland, have called on the Government to immediately introduce legislation to treat Good Friday as an ordinary trading day for pubs, restaurants and hotels.
The call follows the announcement that Ireland will play Switzerland in a friendly soccer international on Good Friday the 25 March in the Aviva Stadium.
Speaking at the launch of the #AboutTime campaign earlier this week, Donall O’Keeffe, Chief Executive of the LVA, said their legal advice was that changing this outdated law is relatively straightforward, but it requires amending legislation to be passed by the Oireachtas.
"Every Good Friday we have thousands of tourists wandering around the streets of our cities and towns asking why they can’t go into a pub for a drink," he said.
"Those numbers will be boosted this year because of the Easter 2016 celebrations. We are also going to have up to 50,000 soccer fans in Dublin facing the same problem outside the stadium.
"Due to our archaic licensing laws not only will those attending the match be able to have a drink in the stadium, but so also will those travelling by train, plane, bus or ferry; those visiting the North; or anyone going to the theatre or the dogs! We have been making representations to the current Minister on this issue since June 2014 but to date the Government hasn’t delivered."
