asked the Minister for Justice if his attention has been drawn to a submission by the Irish Ballroom Proprietors' Association with regard to their request that existing legislation be changed to allow ballrooms to compete with night clubs; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Ballroom Legislation.
104.
I have received a submission from the Irish Ballroom Proprietors' Association in which they requested that the number of occasional liquor licences available to each ballroom be increased from six a year to approximately 100 a year.
The relevant statutory provision is at section 11 of the Intoxicating Liquor Act, 1962, one effect of which is that an occasional licence cannot be granted for a dance unless:
(i) it is a special function for a particular association or group, or
(ii) it is held on a day of special festivity (subject to a maximum of six occasional licences a year for any premises).
One of the objectives of that provision was to restrict the granting of occasional licences for ordinary "house" dances in commercial dancehalls.
I have been examining aspects of the intoxicating liquor laws for some time but what may emerge from that examination cannot be announced until the Government have had an opportunity to consider the matter.