Publicans promise no ban on Travellers

PUBLICANS have promised there will be no nationwide blanket ban on serving Travellers following peace talks aimed at resolving the dispute.

This follows a meeting with Junior Justice Minister Willie O’Dea in which the Vintners’ Federation and Travellers’ groups agreed to tone down the language they were using.

Mr O’Dea said they were building the foundations for a solution to the row which would not be helped by inflammatory language or deliberate law-breaking.

Vintners yesterday agreed to make submissions to the Equality Authority on the legislation at the centre of the dispute, particularly in relation to the rights of publicans to refuse customers.

Travellers are to make submissions to the Liquor Licensing Commission, which is examining the area of licensing law.

VFI president Joe Browne said the meeting was highly productive and the only solution was to strengthen the power of publicans so they could conduct their business without threat to customers or staff.

In the past this has been seen as a call for the reform of the Equal Status Act, under which a person who is denied service on the grounds of being a minority is entitled to compensation.

But the Irish Travellers’ Movement said they had been assured by Mr O’Dea that the legislation would not be watered down.

ITM spokesperson Catherine Joyce said she welcomed the Minister’s statement that there was no blanket ban on Travellers in Westport or in any other part of the country and that the Government would not condone a ban on Travellers in any part of Ireland.

Mr Browne also welcomed a statement by the Mayo Travellers Support Group in which it said they were fully supportive of publicans who treated people fairly.

The support group said it also supported the publican’s right to refuse service to anyone who threatened to cause trouble.

Mr Browne said: “The Mayo Travellers’ comments are progressive and to be welcomed. This acknowledgement of our rights is a substantial move by the organisation.”

The dispute stems from a publican ban in Westport, Co Mayo, two weeks ago.

Hoteliers and publicans are also said to be considering a legal challenge to the decisions by the Office of the Director of Equality Investigations as part of their campaign to strengthen their right to refuse service.