The Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, has said the Government has no plans to reduce pub opening hours despite a groundswell among Fianna Fáil deputies in favour of change.
Mr McDowell was responding yesterday to reports that last week's Fianna Fáil parliamentary party meeting had voted for a motion calling for curbs on pub opening hours, which were extended by the last Government. Most speakers blamed the abandonment of the traditional 11.30 p.m. summer closing and 11 p.m. winter closing times for the increased street violence in urban areas.
Mr McDowell said he had not heard of the concern in Fianna Fáil until it was reported yesterday.
He spoke out strongly in the Dáil last week about the increased violence on the streets, but made no direct link with the longer pub hours.
The changes introduced last year abandoned the distinction between summer and winter closing and allowed for the serving of alcohol in pubs after midnight on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
While the change was steered through the Oireachtas by the former Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue, the Minister for Health, Mr Martin, has been a strong opponent both of extending pub opening hours and of increasing the number of pubs. He bases his objections on health grounds, supporting the thesis that the more easily alcohol is available, the more will be consumed.
However, other Government sources said last night they believed it was highly unlikely that the Government would re-open the issue.
Last year's reforms followed lengthy and difficult discussions with the publicans' lobby, and Ministers will have little appetite to restart such talks at this stage, according to the sources.