asked the Minister for Home Affairs, whether, and if so, when, the Government intend introducing a Bill establishing uniform hours of opening and closing licensed houses; whether he has received any request from the Official Organisation of the Licensed Trade for such legislation.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. [ORAL ANSWERS.] - LICENSED HOUSES—QUESTION OF UNIFORM HOURS.
Representations made by the Licensed Traders' Association are receiving consideration in connection with a Bill for the regulation of the sale of intoxicating liquors which is now in course of preparation, and will be introduced when other Bills of a more urgent character have been dealt with.
The assurance I gave the Association was that I hoped to introduce a Bill dealing with this matter before the elections. I believe I will be able to carry out that undertaking.
Mr. BYRNE
Meanwhile, could the Minister not make some regulations, or get some order made in Court, to have all houses closing at the one hour? If one goes through the streets at night time one will see some houses closed, others open. It is not fair to the closed premises that others should be allowed to remain open.
Mr. O'HIGGINS
I am aware that that anomaly exists. The statutory hours are from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., and during the time of the British administration in this country there was a compulsory 9.30 p.m. closing hour. The employees got used to the 9.30 p.m. closing and refused to work longer. The position now is that the man who is running his own business takes full advantage of the statutory hours, but the man who has to rely upon employees is obliged to close at 9.30 p.m. I agree it is desirable to have uniformity in the matter of closing hours, and the Bill will introduce uniformity. It cannot be done otherwise than by legislation.