Good Friday drinking ban ‘no longer in tune with today’s Ireland’

Punters can now enjoy a legal Good Friday drink in their local pub as politicians finally lifted a controversial ban after 91 years.

However, there are fears that the laws will be further relaxed to permit the sale of alcohol in public houses on Christmas Day, a proposal which has been condemned.

Those seeking out a tipple on the holy day had previously gone to great lengths including taking a train, plane or ferry, or attending the theatre or a greyhound race meeting, all of which were exempt from the Intoxicating Liquor Act of 1927.

However, people will be able to legally drink in pubs on Good Friday this year after the laws were amended by the Dáil yesterday.

Introducing the Intoxicating Liquor (Amendment) Bill, minister of state at the Department of Justice, David Stanton, said the laws “are no longer in tune with today’s Ireland”.

“The bill simply amends the rules to allow for the sale and supply of intoxicating liquor on Good Friday in a consistent, non-discriminatory and comprehensive manner,” he said of the changes originally brought forward by Senator Billy Lawless.

While the ban on the sale of alcohol on St Patrick’s Day was relaxed in 1960, it has taken until now to allow pubs open on Good Friday.

The drinks and hospitality industry has been campaigning to have the prohibition lifted for many years, and in 2010, an exemption was sought to take account of the Munster v Leinster rugby match, but the ban remained on the statute books.

Fianna Fáil justice spokesman Jim O’Callaghan said the law had been circumvented and undermined for many years with people “trying to get around” the prohibition on the sale of alcohol on Good Friday.

“Sometimes people would go to the dog show where they could buy alcohol or get a drink on Good Friday.

“On other occasions, people would take the train because if one had an inter-county ticket, one could buy alcohol on the train.

“We are also aware of examples of people going to restaurants and having the wine put in a teapot and so forth. That undermined the law, so it is sensible to change the law and remove the prohibition.”

He added that there is a “major problem” around alcoholism in this country and called for other legislation, including the Health (Alcohol) Bill, to be prioritised.

Mr Stanton said the bill, which will introduce minimum unit pricing and health warnings on alcohol labels, passed all stages in the Seanad last December and is expected to come to the Dáil for consideration in February.

Sinn Féin’s Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire welcomed the changes as a “logical” move and said the current laws would appear “peculiar and quaint” to future generations.

However, he discouraged a similar move when it comes to Christmas Day.

“It is increasingly the case that licensed premises are opening either on or close to Christmas Day. We have seen that phenomenon in a number of localities and it is getting more common.

“I encourage publicans and people in the hospitality sector at the very least to respect their workers’ rights by allowing them that day off and that time with their families.

“It is a trend and, while it is still relatively uncommon, it should be discouraged. It is important that those workers be allowed not to work on that day.”

However, Independent TD Maureen O’Sullivan questioned whether it was actually the case that the forced closure of pubs on Good Friday had turned tourists off holidaying in Ireland.

“I really have to ask for whose benefit is this bill? Are we saying that the only tourists we want are those who can’t last 24 hours without buying a drink in a public house or going into an off-licence?”

Having already been passed by the Seanad, the bill will now go to President Michael D Higgins to be signed into law next week and will take immediate effect.