Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

We will not get into the volume of drink a person can consume, but I can tell anybody that he or she would not be able to drink half the volume of what that person could consume normally if he or she were drinking a craft beer. It is a different product. As it is made in a natural fashion, it is better for one's health.

The tasting of craft beer will take time and will be a larger part of the tourism offering but I welcome Deputy Brophy's support for the extended closing time of 7 p.m. I think the vast majority of craft breweries would be happy to shorten the opening hours and open from 12 noon until 7 p.m. instead of 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. That would be an hour less, but the hour between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. would be of significant benefit. I would be very surprised if the craft breweries were not more comfortable with opening hours from 12 noon until 7 p.m.

I am from the countryside in Wexford and I go to the pubs in rural areas and there is nobody, or one could count the number on one hand, in a pub at 7 p.m. People do not drink beer in country pubs in Ireland in a serious way at 6 p.m. or 7 p.m. Most of the pubs do not get busy until after 9 p.m. I do not think that extending the opening hour to 7 p.m. will make the craft breweries more like a pub. The offering is not remotely like a pub. The craft breweries can only sell their own product, a pub can sell 100 different products and more. A craft brewery has not a prayer of getting anywhere near what a pub is like.