Nighttime ban on children in bars will ‘hurt tourism’

IRISH holidaymakers will go abroad rather than take breaks at home if the Government’s nighttime ban on children in bars is not eased, a hotels leader has warned.

More than one million of the six million annual visitors to the country’s hotels are part of a family unit, and Irish tourists account for around two-thirds of the total.

Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) president Richard Bourke said that, despite the Government decision to allow minors remain in bars until 10pm between May and September, the tourist market will still be hit hard because families will be unable to take late meals in hotel restaurants.

“It’s encouraging Irish families to go abroad rather than holiday at home. Visitor numbers have already fallen 1% last year from Britain, our biggest overseas market, and one traditionally strong for short family breaks,” Mr Bourke said.

“This legislation is a cop-out by the Government, they’re using laws aimed at underage drinking to penalise families on holidays,” he said.

The IHF has asked the Department of Justice to extend the ban on children to 10.30pm all year round in legislation due before the Oireachtas before summer.

During the opening day of the IHF annual conference in Cork, Mr Bourke also called for a series of national infrastructural developments to match investment in the hotels sector. He called for major development of road networks to improve access to regions, a quick decision on the second Dublin Airport terminal, speedy selection of a national conference centre bidder and an end to the bilateral air transport agreement with the United States to allow more routes from more American cities.