Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is still to play a part. It is not to say that they will not survive; they could be under challenge for a while. However, the same number of people – the customers – need to be attracted back into the pubs in the same way that they felt they were beforehand. People became accustomed to living their lives a different way. As a result of that, it is open to the industry to meet the challenge and introduce new ways and means of encouraging the customer in.

From the Government’s point of view, it continues to carry out a watching brief to ensure that the measures being taken are effective and that they will work. I reiterate that the Minister said that he is watching carefully and if further action is needed, it will be taken. We need to also do a bit ourselves and change the things that need to be changed. It is not the same as it was before. The proof of that is that the pub that was not doing great business before – for a particular reason, whatever it was – and the same person made changes, took it over, made a different proposition of it and is doing quite well. It is attractive. People want to come into it and sit down and they are doing that. However, they will not do it if the pub is not available or does not open or stay open when it is convenient for them. Even the last hour of night may be attractive. The customers like to sit down of the own accord, have a couple of drinks and go home.