Taoiseach defends McDowell’s café-bar decision

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has been defending the decision to abandon plans to for café-bars.

Mr Ahern said that to have thousand of additional outlets selling alcohol would do nothing for the health of young people in Ireland.

“I don't get too worked up about this one way or the other,” said Mr Ahern. “But I do and have listened to the argument that people have been saying that thousands of outlets for drink is not the thing to be doing.”

The Minister for Justice confirmed earlier today he is to scrap his original plans to introduce European-style café-bars.

He will instead to grant all restaurants full bar licenses to serve beer and spirits.