Drink law review proposed

Changes in opening hours, the need to licence sports clubs, museums and theatres and the introduction of a national age card scheme are among the major reforms being proposed by the All-Party Committee on Liquor Licensing Laws. Chaired by Fine Gael TD, Mr Charles Flanagan, it is expected to submit its 70 recommendations to the Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue, today.

In its 130-page review of the liquor licensing code, the committee is recommending that the difference between summer and winter closing time in public houses should be removed. The closing time from Sundays to Wednesdays should be 11.30 p.m., with 30 minutes drinking-up time; on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays it should be 12.30 a.m., with 30 minutes drinking-up time.

The present opening time of 12.30 p.m. on Sundays would remain unchanged but the afternoon closing time between 2 p.m.4 p.m. would be abolished.

The committee also proposes that centres in the leisure, entertainment, conference and tourist sectors, such as sports clubs, interpretative centres, commercial conference centres, museums, galleries and theatres should be licensed, in law and through the circuit court, as "locations which may serve drink in association with other activities".

It advocates a change in the law to allow supermarkets and stand-alone off-licences in urban areas, where there is a serious shortage of off-licences, to offer two on-licences or off-licences from anywhere in the country to obtain a new off-licence. Licensed supermarkets should also be permitted to trade their non-licensed business from 2 p.m.4 p.m. on Sundays. On under-age drinking, the committee proposes that penalties for providing liquor to persons under 18 years be increased to £500 for the first offence and £1,000 for subsequent offences.