Health Minister not opposed to dropping Good Friday alcohol ban
Health Minister Leo Varadkar said he will not oppose legislation allowing the selling of alcohol on Good Friday.
Publicans, including the Licensed Vintners Association and the Vintners Federation of Ireland, say that the lifting of the ban is long overdue.
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They are pointing to the 1916 celebrations and Ireland's football match with Switzerland that day as reasons for lifting the ban.
Health Minister Leo Varadkar said that while it is an issue for the Department of Justice, he will not protest the legislation on health grounds.
"Our focus in health is on reducing alcohol consumption and on reducing binge drinking, and that's all being done with the Public Health Alcohol Bill," he said.
"I don't see any particular benefit in treating one or two particular days of the year any differently to the others, so there won't be any objection from health to any change if it's proposed by the Minister for Justice."
