Groups to fight liquor bill

A COALITION of equality and civil rights groups is to launch a major campaign against key parts of new alcohol legislation.

The Irish Council for Civil Liberties, which is co-ordinating the campaign, yesterday attacked elements of the Intoxicating Liquor Bill.

The ICCL is critical of a number of proposals, namely:

lTransfer of discrimination cases involving publicans from the Equality Tribunal to the District Courts.

lEnabling landlords to increase the minimum age for serving alcohol above 18, contrary to current equality law.

lObliging people under 21 who are lawfully in a pub to carry age identification.

lAllowing publicans to ban children at any time from a pub and obliging them to do so after 8pm.

“We have major concerns about parts of this new bill. Our biggest is over the change of jurisdiction from the Equality Tribunal to the District Courts. That is disgraceful,” said ICCL director Aisling Reidy.

“It shows the power of publicans for this to happen. We are looking to other equality organisations to form a coalition to oppose that. We will be campaigning very strongly against that. It is unacceptable.”

This proposal has also been criticised by the Equality Authority and the Human Rights Commission.

Ms Reidy said that proposals in the bill, allowing publicans to increase the age limit above 18, was also contrary to existing equality legislation.

“That can’t be done, unless the Equal Status Act is amended and we would be opposed to that as well.”

She also expressed concern at proposals that would require licensees to exclude children under 18 after 8pm.

Moreover, landlords will have discretion to ban people under 18 “at any time.” “We would have concerns for families who are in pubs having a meal. But the wider discretion of excluding them at any time, we would be very concerned about.”

She said she was also concerned at the proposal requiring people under the age of 21 to carry “evidence of age” documentation on them on licensed premises.

A meeting involving the coalition of groups is expected to take place tomorrow or early next week.

The Intoxicating Liquor Bill was introduced on Tuesday by Justice Minister Michael McDowell.