Case involving golf club bar ‘on vintners’ radar’

The Vintners Federation of Ireland has said it is monitoring a court case in Castlebar in which the bar at the Taoiseach’s golf club was run as a pub in exchange for an annual payment of €10,000.

VFI president Gerry Rafter said while he was not familiar with the specifics of the case involving Castlebar Golf Club — whose members include Enda Kenny — the wider issue was “on our radar” due to possible ramifications for publicans.

In the case recently heard in Ballina, Superintendent Joe Doherty said gardaí had received a complaint regarding the operation of the bar in the club not being run in accordance with the Registration of Clubs Act 1904.