Heed the warning on stronger sentencing
It’s a place where neighbours can meet to relax and have a chat after a busy day at the office or on the farm, providing an escape from the drudgery of day- to-day life. For most people, the pub serves as a centre of conviviality and hospitality.
Set against this rather utopian backdrop, the alarming claims made in today’s front page story by Padraig Cribben, chief executive of the Vintners’ Federation of Ireland, portray the pub in a different light. He warns that a publican or bar worker could be killed unless tougher sentences are handed down by the judiciary to the perpetrators of increased levels of violence in pubs. Such criticism of judges has long been voiced by various organisations, arguing that some of them are out of touch with the realities of life in Ireland today. Writing in the Irish Examiner, Mr Cribben claims “publicans and their staff are being left with serious injuries, both physical and mental, and premises are being significantly damaged on what is now a regular basis.”
