UK fears as Irish opening hours are threatened by rise in violence

Pubs in Ireland may see their opening hours restricted after an upsurge in late-night violence, a move that some fear could be a sign of things to come in the UK.

The Irish government is coming under pressure from its own back-benchers to reverse the longer pub opening hours introduced just over a year ago, after they were blamed for a rise in street violence.

A motion calling for pub hours to be restricted received widespread support at a recent meeting of the main government party, Fianna Fail, and will now be considered by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and his cabinet.

Health minister Michael Martin has already voiced concern over binge-drinking by young people and "the easy availability of alcohol".

The move will worry licensees in the UK who have been urging Westminster to relax licensing, claiming staggered closing times reduce violence by reducing the number of people on the streets at any one time.

Former Irish minister Ned O'Keeffe, who is leading the campaign for stricter licensing, told the recent parliamentary party meeting: "We made a mistake in extending the opening hours beyond midnight, and we should admit it and go back. We made the changes to benefit the tourist industry, but tourists are not interested in late drinking.

"I want the laws revisited because public order is now out of control. We are seeing more car accidents, more rapes, assaults, vandalism and urinating in public because of the extended hours."

Several other speakers voiced similar sentiments, reflecting public concern expressed to them during the recent election campaign.

The changes, introduced following lengthy consultations with the trade, ended the distinction between summer and winter licensing, allowing pubs in Ireland to serve drink until 12.30am on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, with half an hour drinking up time.

Both the Vintners' Federation and the Licensed Vintners' Association dismissed the move to have the extended hours reversed as unfair and unjustified, and claimed it would amount to penalising the trade and customers for the failure of politicians to implement the law.

However, the new justice minister Michael McDowell has promised a crackdown on "wanton violence, thuggery and destructiveness" in public order legislation that he is currently piloting through parliament.