9pm ban on children in pubs 'should be changed'

THE difficulties caused by the 9pm ban on children in pubs were predicted by the opposition when the law was introduced last year, Fine Gael tourism spokesman Jimmy Deenihan said yesterday.

Urging a change in the law, the Kerry North TD said Tourism Minister John O'Donoghue should have raised the concerns of tourism and rural areas at the Cabinet when the legislation went through last year. "I forecast the problems for tourism at the time and the minister for justice said he couldn't have one law in Dublin and another in Ballybunion," he said.

Agreeing totally with Mr O'Donoghue's present sentiments that the ban needs to be relaxed, FF Limerick West TD John Cregan said he raised the problem with Michael McDowell and FF Cork East TD Ned O'Keeffe and said the ban was affecting every part of the country and the entire licensing law needed to be examined.