Government shelves Bill on pub opening

The Bill to abolish Sunday pub closing and end the ban on Saturday-night extensions has been shelved by the Government, and the changes will not now happen until the autumn at the earliest.

The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform had been due to meet Fianna Fail backbenchers yesterday, after strong criticism of the proposed legislation at Wednesday's parliamentary party meeting.

With Mr O'Donoghue detained by events in Belfast, however, the meeting did not take place, and the Intoxicating Liquor Bill was not proceeded with before the Dail rose for the summer last night. It is now likely to be absorbed in a lengthier Bill on reform of the licensing laws later in the year.

Mr O'Donoghue had also been expected to address three Independent TDs, Mr Jackie Healy-Rae, Ms Mildred Fox and Mr Harry Blaney. Speaking on Thursday night, the Government Chief Whip, Mr Seamus Brennan, said he had not yet had formal discussions with the Independents about their support for the Bill.

Mr Healy-Rae, who is himself a publican, indicated yesterday that the three would have pressed the Government to accept Opposition amendments extending general pub opening hours to 12.30 a.m.

When he published the Bill last week, Mr O'Donoghue said he was expediting the limited reforms contained in it to benefit this summer's tourist season. Further legislation, addressing issues such as general pub closing time, would follow in the autumn, he indicated.

But intense lobbying by rural publicans annoyed at the failure to extend general closing time caused a rebellion in Fianna Fail ranks, which yesterday's scheduled meeting had been designed to calm.

Fine Gael, Labour and Sinn Fein's Mr Caoimhghin O Caolain had all tabled amendments to the Bill, which received a second reading in the Dail on Wednesday night, to provide for extended opening.

Mr Healy-Rae said yesterday that the proposed legislation as it stood gave publicans "nothing in the world". There was a general consensus among backbenchers and Independents that pubs should be allowed to open longer, and there was "grave annoyance that this will not now happen".

In informal contacts with the Government, the Independents had put the case for later closing. He added: "The amendments could have been accepted, and something could have been done for the tourist season."