McDowell to drop café bar plans - reports

Justice Minister Michael McDowell is reportedly set to drop his controversial plan to introduce new alcohol licences for Mediterranean-style café-bars.

Reports this morning said Mr McDowell would drop the plan in favour of reforming the licensing regime for restaurants.

The reports said the u-turn followed discussions between the minister and the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, who had poured cold water on the scheme last week due to disgruntlement on the Fianna Fáil back benches.

Mr McDowell had claimed café-bar licences would help tackle binge-drinking by promoting more moderate consumption.

However, many Fianna Fáil TDs, as well as publicans and health professionals, believe a move to increase the number of pub licences would lead to an associated increase in drinking.

They had also claimed that local fast-food outlets could have ended up with pub licences under Mr McDowell's plan.