Publicans refuse to lift ban on Travellers

Carl O’Brien, Political Correspondent

The Vintners’ Federation of Ireland met with Junior Justice Minister Willie O’Dea and insisted there would be no nationwide ban - but Mayo publicans are holding firm. Westport Vintners chairman Chris Lavelle said publicans had to be able to protect themselves. “I can’t go back to the publicans in Westport and tell them that I’m afraid we’ll have to lift the ban,” he said.

“We’re fighting for our lives, our staff and our property. If we’re not able to do that, we might as well hand over the keys to the Travelling community,” Mr Lavelle added.

The Vintners’ Federation of Ireland agreed at the meeting not to recommend a nationwide ban on Travellers and said they would tone down the inflammatory language of recent days. But Mr Lavelle said the Mayo ban would continue until the publicans were given greater rights to control their premises through whatever legislative measures were needed.

At the meeting with Mr O’Dea earlier this week, vintners and Travellers agreed to make submissions to the Liquor Licensing Commission, which is examining the area of licensing legislation.

But Mr Lavelle said the six-week time period under which this would take place was too long and it was up to the minister to take fresh action.

“Six weeks is too long - we’ve been told it’s the commission’s top priority. But they needed to be working on this yesterday, not just today. The ball is now in the minister’s court.”

Travellers’ representatives, meanwhile, say they have been reassured by Mr O’Dea’s statement that the Equal Status Act was “not up for discussion” and the legislation would not be watered down.

Catherine Joyce said they would not accept any attempt to change one of the few pieces of legislation which protected Travellers’ rights. But Mr Lavelle accused Mr O’Dea of shifting his position on whether to change the controversial Equal Status Act, which allows Travellers get compensation from pubs who have wrongly refused them.

“I heard him on the radio today and he was saying there were issues of the Equal Status Act that needed to be addressed,” he said.

Mr Lavelle added that Travellers’ groups had a responsibility to instruct their members not to engage in any violent behaviour