(South Tipperary) asked the Minister for Justice the number of registered member clubs in the Republic with licences for the sale of intoxicating liquor (a) during ordinary drinking hours and (b) outside ordinary drinking hours.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Licensing of Clubs.
51.
The total number of registered clubs is approximately 270. A club may obtain not more than 12 extensions in the year by application to the Court but, except as authorised by such an extension on a particular occasion, no club is entitled to serve drink outside the ordinary licensing laws.
52.
(South Tipperary) asked the Minister for Justice the number of registered member clubs providing (a) limited dancing or socials on the premises, and (b) public commercial dancing facilities on the premises.
Registered clubs do not require any special authorisation to run dances or other social functions for the members and their friends and accordingly no statistics on these matters are available. I assume, however, that the great majority of such clubs have some social functions on their premises from time to time, but they are not entitled to serve drinks, either at such functions or otherwise, to anybody other than a member or a bona fide private guest of a member.
There is no record, either, as to whether any club happens to have a premises licensed for public dancing and I do not think that the making of special enquiries in the matter would be justified, not merely because it seems to be extremely probable that there are very few if any such premises but because, in any event, such a club, if it existed, would not be entitled to serve drink to the patrons generally.