The Government's decision yesterday to relax the ban on children being in pubs after 9 p.m. during summer months does not go far enough, the Irish Hotels Federation has said.
In a surprise move, the Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, decided to extend the deadline to 10 p.m. from May 1st until September 30th.
He moved to make the change during debate on emergency legislation needed to ensure that non-alcohol teenage discos can go ahead, which was rushed through all stages of debate in just three hours in the Dáil yesterday.
The Minister had indicated some weeks ago that he would consider setting the deadline at 10 p.m. during the summer, although it was believed this would not happen for months.
The concession in the Dáil came after the Fine Gael TD Mr Jim O'Keeffe had proposed that the 9 p.m. ban should be pushed back until 10.30 p.m. from May 1st until September 30th.
Accepting the thrust of the FG move, Mr McDowell said he favoured 10 p.m. rather than 10.30 p.m. "I accept the point that has been made. I have been conscious of the fact that the 9 p.m. limit in cases of people coming off boats on the Shannon or from beaches in rural Ireland in summertime is too tough on occasions.
"A limit of 10 p.m. for the summer months would be better. I suggest that the threshold should be 10 p.m. during the period from May 1st to September 30th in each year," the Minister told Mr O'Keeffe.
"It is seasonal. It applies to the summer months, and I am taking a liberal view of what constitutes the summer months from May to the end of September."
Indicating that further changes could come with legislation consolidating all liquor licensing laws, Mr McDowell said: "It may be that we will think of something better when we deal with the consolidation Bill."
While welcoming the change, the Irish Hotels Federation chief executive, Mr John Power, said hoteliers would push for more concessions when the IHF makes a submission to the Department of Justice in coming days.
"It is a move in the right direction, but it doesn't go far enough. The change affects the summer months only, but the legislation has an impact all year. It is a year-round issue," Mr Power said.
He accepted that the Minister wanted to ensure that "the 16-year-old girl would not be in a bar drinking all night with an 18-year-old boy. That is something we would like to make difficult as well."
Mr Jimmy Deenihan, FG's tourism spokesman, said the decision was "a victory for common sense, and will enable families on holiday during the summer months to enjoy a meal or outing together until a reasonable hour".
He said: "The 9 p.m. deadline adversely affected family holidays this year, and seriously damaged summer business. Jim O'Keeffe's amendment represents a reasonable compromise that will facilitate both holidaying families and vintners and hoteliers who will look forward to an improved tourist season next year."
The Labour TD for Kerry South, Ms Breeda Moynihan Cronin, welcomed the Minister's decision to relax the ban, which had had a serious effect on the tourist industry over the summer in many parts of the country, she said.
"It is a pity this year's tourist season has not benefited from this change, but I hope it will have a positive impact in the years ahead."
