The Dublin City Centre Business Association has left its members in no doubt as to where it stands on deregulating pub licences. The Competition Authority has recommended lifting barriers to entry, such as pubs having the right to object to an entrant on the basis that it might affect competitors.

Writing in its publication Dublin City Centre News it says "quite rightly the Competition Authority does not recommend compensation to existing licence holders as such licences hold an artificial value created by a market monopoly". It says this is "detrimental to consumers and those wishing to enter the market".