Conaghan fails to stop sale of drink before 6pm

Off-licences:The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Michael Conaghan, has failed in his final attempt to stop off-licences opening before 6pm today.

Mr Conaghan had asked off-licences and pubs not to sell take-out alcohol during the day to prevent a recurrence of excessive drinking and violence which he said "spoiled" last year's St Patrick's Day parade.

National Off-licence Association chairman Jim McCabe told Mr Conaghan last week that his members were being unfairly blamed for public drunkenness and disorder and said he would not ask off-licences to close.

The lord mayor met association representatives again on Monday night, but could not persuade them to reconsider.

"I am disappointed. I thought my request was very reasonable but they weren't for changing and I'm not going to waste my time arguing with them," Mr Conaghan said.

He said he had hoped off-licences would have played their part in preventing the "sense of menace" created by alcohol last year.

"By definition, alcohol sold by off-licences in town will be consumed on the streets."

NOffLA and the Licenced Vintners Association had argued that not all premises selling take-out drink were members of their bodies and that convenience shops would not be subject to the request not to sell alcohol.

Mr Conaghan said an opportunity to cut down on the level of on-street drinking had been lost.

Off-licences would be under increased scrutiny this year he warned, both from the public and from gardaí.