‘Pubs must aid rural drinkers’

Publicans and hackney drivers should work together to encourage rural, and mainly elderly, customers to have a night out.

Many rural pubs have already called time, or face the threat of closure, as customers stay at home.

Drink-driving legislation, combined with the smoking ban eight years ago, are contributory factors along with price hikes.

However, Cork licensee Con Dennehy believes publicans and hackney drivers should work together to provide discount fares for elderly customers so they don’t live in rural isolation.

Mr Dennehy, chairman of the Cork City and County Vintners’ Federation of Ireland (VFI), said many of his 800 members were complaining at monthly meetings that elderly men, former regular customers, were not frequenting their local hostelries.

He also said his members were concerned that long periods of isolation could, over time, lead to depression and other health risks.

Mr Dennehy acknowledged drink-driving legislation probably had a bearing on some customers not venturing out.

“And nobody in my organisation is suggesting the people drive home when they are drunk. Unfortunately people are staying at home instead and if they are living on their own they have little or no social life, or interaction with friends,” Mr Dennehy said.

He said a debate should be opened on the connection between rural isolation and suicide. Gardaí have noticed in the past few years that the age profiles of those committing suicide in some rural areas has increased.

Mr Dennehy said he was concerned the situation had the potential to get worse.

“Nobody wants drink driving but things have gone so far that it is now driving people to suicide.” he said.

Mr Dennehy said that normal places of interaction for people, especially those living on their own, were disappearing rapidly in rural Ireland.

“It’s not just pubs which are closing, but post offices, creameries, garda stations etc. Even the postman is not now calling to some houses in rural areas and is instead putting letters in boxes down lanes,” the VFI regional chairman said.

He referred to the case in Co Wexford where 62-year-old Alan Moore’s body was found in his house three months after he’d died. “This should never have happened and its a chilling example of what I am concerned about,” Mr Dennehy said.

He suggested publicans should subsidise cabbies or mini-bus drivers, especially in isolated areas.

Mr Dennehy believes the Government should also aid such a scheme by allowing retired or unemployed people to start up hackney services in rural areas.a