Tourists would be surprised to learn that they may buy imported wine and beer with their restaurant meals but not an Irish Coffee, the Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Equality and Women's Rights was told yesterday.
The committee, hearing submissions on proposed changes to the licensing laws, was also told a small shop would not be able to sell beer "because they would have to buy a pub licence first" although they would be able to sell wine.
It was also claimed that the reason for "so many anomalies" in the Intoxicating Liquor Bill was that the Irish Vintners' Association and the Licensed Vintners' Association "have their fingerprints all over it".
Making the case for an amendment to the Bill, Mr J.J. Bunyan, national co-ordinator of the Independent Liquor Licence Reform Group (ILLRG), said his and other interests were effectively sidelined as they had not the "clout" of the LVA.
Mr Bunyan drew attention to the presence on the committee of Senator Eddie Bohan who, he maintained, represented the vintners' viewpoint. The chairman, Mr Sean Ardagh TD, then asked Mr Bunyan not to offend elected members of the committee.
Another member of ILLRG, Mr Paddy Early, told the committee he ran a supermarket in Tramore, Co Waterford. He explained that if he wanted to sell a can of beer he would have to buy a public house licence at a cost of about £130,000.
Mr Early said there were villages "where there were no off-licence sales in supermarkets or shops, ensuring that one could not buy a can of beer without going to a pub to get it".
Mr Richard Burrows, the chief executive of Irish Distillers, said that from his company's point of view it was a good Bill, but there was one difficulty. While restaurants might sell wine and beer, his products, particularly Irish whiskey, would remain barred.
Senator Bohan said publicans, particularly those in Dublin, would have no difficulty in recommending a change in the Bill to include spirits for sale in restaurants.
The committee was also addressed by members of the Health Promotion Unit of the Department of Health and the Pioneer Total Abstinence Association.