The Tanaiste will press for full deregulation of the off-licence sector in the coming months amid indications that Fianna Fail Ministers may support only more modest changes.
The Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue, yesterday signalled plans for a limited easing of the restrictions on the number of off-licences in the State, stopping well short of complete deregulation. While Ms Harney is known to favour full deregulation, Mr O'Donoghue indicated support only for more modest changes.
However, spokesmen for Ms Harney and Mr O'Donoghue last night played down any suggestion of conflict, saying details of the changes had yet to be agreed by Cabinet.
Mr O'Donoghue confirmed yesterday that he has begun work on legislation to implement some aspects of the interim report of the Commission on Liquor Licensing, which he published yesterday. The report, on the off-licence trade, recommends an end to the requirement that a licence applicant "extinguish" an existing licence before getting a new one.
Speaking on RTE Radio's News At One after the publication of the report, Mr O'Donoghue indicated broad support for this change, but listed a number of substantial barriers to entry to the trade which he proposes to retain.
He agreed, for example, that the licence fee may be between £50,000 and £80,000. Pressed on whether the fee could be "several tens of thousands", he said: "Yes. It could be expensive enough to obtain." However, a spokesman for Mr O'Donoghue said later that he had reached no "definitive conclusions" and would await a full examination of the report, which has just begun.
Mr O'Donoghue also said the number of licences in a given area would be restricted.
Ms Harney has in the past stated support for full deregulation, accompanied by enforcement of existing measures to prevent teenage drinking and alcohol abuse. She is believed to be unenthusiastic about any limiting of the number of licences per area, as proposed.