O'Dea predicts change in pub legislation within 18 months
Minister of State, Willie O'Dea, is predicting that changes in the legislation governing pubs and other licensed premises will be in effect within the next year and a half.
The need for change was highlighted by tensions, which arose last year between travellers who said they were being discriminated against and publicans who said they were trying to bar troublemakers from their pubs.
Proposals on the legislation are due to be brought to cabinet later this month by Justice Minister, Michael McDowell, and will include measures dealing with the number of people coming into premises.
Recently the Liquor Licensing Commission published a set of recommendations aimed at balancing the needs of equal status legislation and those of publicans trying to operate their premises in an orderly manner.
Willie O'Dea admits that some of the required legislation will be complex. "The Minister has to decide whether some of those recommendations be part of the general qualification of the law, which is about 12-18 months away realistically because we are dealing with a very complex code of law.
"Some of these changes on the other hand may come sooner depending on the Government's view on the priority they need. I would say the very latest you will see changes is 18 months but some of those changes may be brought about sooner."
