Seanad debates

Thursday, 19 June 2003

Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2003: Committee Stage.

 

I am not sure that we would be sending out the wrong signal. There may well be circumstances in which there is widespread drunkenness with people falling around the place, breaking up a premises and causing trouble elsewhere afterwards. On a first offence, it would be quite appropriate to close such a premises for a week, but it should be a matter of discretion for the District Justice and not something which must be employed in every circumstance. Equally, if a prosecution was taken – perhaps it would be frivolous – because one drunken person was served, under the Bill, it would be necessary for some sort of closure order to be imposed. On a first offence, that would be too harsh. I do not intend to pursue the matter further today.

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