David Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I refer to the debate yesterday on the Intoxicating Liquor (Amendment) Bill 2017 which proposes to open pubs on Good Friday. It was stated that this was a generally popular change and that the tourist industry would be gravely damaged if this did not happen. After the debate, I went through Trinity College and spoke to two large groups of tourists, one from the Netherlands and the other from the United States of America. They laughed like drains, saying the pub opening times would not affect them. There was no research produced or evidence to back up the bland statements in mid air by populists. They are not popular.