The Chair of the Clare branch of the VFI doesn’t believe plans to revamp the nation’s licensing laws will work in rural Ireland.
More than 5,000 submissions have been received by the Department of Justice on the matter.
Justice Minister Helen McEntee opened a public consultation process on revamping licensing laws last November.
The deadline for submissions has now closed but it’s sparked a significant response from members of the public.
There’s a possibility that nightclubs and late bars could open well into the early hours of the morning, akin to a number of other countries throughout the EU, such as Spain and Germany.
However, the reaction to the possible extension of opening hours has provoked a mixed reaction from the publicans in this county.
The Chair of the Clare branch of the Vintners Federation of Ireland doesn’t believe it will work in small towns and villages and that it’s an urban-centric measure.
Ennis publican Charlie O’ Meara, who is involved in discussions on the matter at national level, says convincing staff to work long into the night will be a hard sell.
A South East Clare publican, meanwhile, says the measure may make more sense in certain rural areas if it can be applied at specific times of the year.
Anne Casey, of Casey’s Bar in Sixmilebridge, wants the Department of Justice to consider discretionary days for pubs and clubs to operate later trading.
The Department of Justice is believed to be planning to publish the public responses to the proposal in the near future.
