Good Friday alcohol ban 'costing restaurant sector €15m in revenue'

Restaurateurs say the ban on selling alcohol on Good Friday costs the sector €15m in revenue.

The Restaurants Association of Ireland is calling for the law to be changed, branding it "unacceptable" in a multi-cultural and multi-religious society.

It has also highlighted exceptions made for certain venues which have been granted a licence to serve alcohol on Good Friday, including some greyhound stadiums.

It comes as a new survey by Ignite finds that

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Adrian Cummins, chief executive of the Restaurants Association of Ireland said: "Restaurants have to close on Good Friday because [with the ban on] the sale of alcohol, their business model doesn't justify them to open.

"Those restaurants that do close - the staff are on a day off and they can't earn any wages on this day.

"The law needs to changed, especially for next year, 2016, our centenary celebrations. We need to get this law changed as quickly as possible."