Irish trade fears plans for cafe bar licences

by MA reporter

A major row is brewing between Irish publicans and the Irish government over planned new legislation that will see the creation of a café bar licence in the Republic for the first time.

The highly controversial proposal is part of the Intoxicating Liquor Act 2005, which also includes recommendations to streamline and modernise Ireland's liquor licensing laws.

But the café bar licence is by far the most contentious provision and has been slammed by the Vintners Federation of Ireland (VFI).

According to the Irish Govern-ment the café bar should help eliminate the growing problem of binge-drinking, especially among young people.

But the VFI says the move "defies logic" if the aim is to curb excessive drinking. Ireland, it claimed, was already "overpubbed" with 13,000 licences and was far in excess of the situation in Britain or Europe.

A cap on liquor licence numbers was introduced in the 1902 Act. And the VFI says the report of the Strategic Task Force on Alcohol had agreed with the limit and had strongly recommended no more licences be introduced in the Republic.

Under the new legislation the café bar licence will only be available for premises of less than 130sq m that are not engaged in "take away" sales of food. The government is allowing for six weeks of consultation before bringing it before the Dail.

Irish justice minister, Michael McDowell said the objective was to create a new culture where drinking would be combined with eating and socialising.