Vol. 549 No. 2
126 Mr. B. Hayes asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he has considered a change in the law in respect of rights of publicans to prohibit people from entering their premises; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1215/02]
Under current licensing laws, a licensee may refuse admittance or service to a person or require a person to leave a licensed premises. For example, it is an offence to permit drunkenness or any violent or quarrelsome conduct in a licensed premises or to sell intoxicating liquor to a person who is drunk. Moreover, the renewal of liquor licences is conditional on the peaceful and orderly manner in which the licensed premises were conducted in the year ending on the expiry of the licence. However, while licensees may be required to refuse admission or service in certain circumstances, this power may not be exercised in an arbitrary, unreasonable or discriminatory way. Actions by a licensee that are arbitrary or unreasonable may give rise to objections to renewal of the licence. Moreover, discriminatory actions by the licensee that run counter to the provisions of the Equal Status Act, 2000 may be referred to the Director of Equality Investigations.
