(South Tipperary) asked the Minister for Justice the number of dance halls licensed for dancing in the Republic, (b) the number of such dance halls which secured special permission for the sale of intoxicating liquor on at least one occasion during dancing hours in the last available year, and (c) the number of special exemptions given to dance halls for the sale of intoxicating liquor during dances in the last available year.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dance Hall Licences.
50.
Figures have not been compiled on the lines set out in the Question and, while it would be possible to obtain them by special enquiries throughout the country, the compilation would take some weeks and, since I assume that the information is sought in connection with the Intoxicating Liquor Bill, it may be preferable if I give the information that is already available and that gives the general picture.
First of all, may I refer to the figures given, in a tabular statement, in a reply by my predecessor on 18th May, 1961. From that table and some later figures obtained by my Department, the following may be taken to be a broadly accurate picture of the position.
There are approximately 1,200 premises licensed for public dancing in the State, not including places in respect of which a temporary licence valid for a period of up to a month may be granted. The total number of Occasional Licences granted for dances runs from about 1,000 to 1,300 in a year, of which roughly two-thirds would be in respect of dances in dancehalls, the remainder being in respect of dances held under a temporary dance licence. It will be seen that on the average this works out at about two such licences each year for every three dance halls. Generally, such a licence covers only one dance.
However, the average figure alone would be misleading. In recent years some dance halls have been getting one or even two Occasional Licences each week-end for ordinary "house" dances, whereas others seldom seek one. The position as it was two years or so ago was that the number of dance halls that got Occasional Licences as frequently, or even nearly as frequently, as this did not exceed half a dozen in the whole State and the total number of Occasional Licences granted for "house" dances to these and other dance halls was of the order of 400 per year. The latest figures show an increase of 50 per cent. on that figure, largely accounted for by doubling or more of the number of halls that have been applying for and getting those licences regularly.
I have no specific figures about Special Exemption Orders over and above those given in the reply of 4th May, 1961.