Sir, - Having spent 35 years in the Garda Siochana 29 of those as a sergeant, and having served in many parts of the country, I want to express my total opposition to the proposed extension of licensing hours at weekends. During my service, I came across many cases of breaches of the peace, family rows, serious assaults etc., directly related to drink. There are many women and children who must be appalled at the prospect of husbands and fathers being encouraged and facilitated in their absence from their homes and their subsequent late night drunken return.
Where the licensing laws, as they are, were not strictly enforced the consequences were always relatively worse.
Statistics show the well-established connection between weekend pub closing time and road accidents. Too many families in the country have already experienced the sad and terrible consequences of weekend drinking and driving. More drinking time is certainly going to cause more deaths and mayhem on the roads and more heart-break for families.
How many employers are having to deal with employees turning up for work to some degree incapacitated by hangovers? This situation would certainly get worse if the time between pub-closing and the start of work were shortened. The social consequences of excessive drinking indicate that our legislators should be trying to curtail it, not facilitate it. - Yours, etc.,
Paddy O'Reilly, Roscrea Road, Templemore.