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25th January 2018
03:57pm GMT
The Dáil has passed legislation which will bring an end to the Good Friday ban on alcohol sales from 2018 onwards.
It will now go to the President, and will be signed into law before Good Friday this year - 30 March.
The final stages of the ban on opening pubs on Good Friday was debated in the Dáil on Thursday afternoon and the 90-year prohibition has been removed.
Interlude:
— Gavan Reilly (@gavreilly) January 25, 2018
The Dáil has just passed legislation which will end the Good Friday ban on alcohol sales. Having already been passed by Seanad, it now goes to the Áras to be signed into law next week and take immediate effect.
The Intoxicating Liquor (Amendment) Bill 2017 was passed unanimously in the Seanad in 2017.
These amendments would make sure that the new law applies to pubs and not just hotels.
At the time, Senator Billy Lawless explained his reasoning behind the bill.
"Currently an 18-year-old with €10 can buy 10 cans of beer on Holy Thursday to keep for the next day, but cannot walk into a pub [where they] might only buy two to three pints for the same money.
"Removing this 90-year-old [law] from our statute books sends another clear message that Ireland is a pluralist, global and forward-thinking country."
Senator Lawless added: "The passing of this Bill is another progressive step in Ireland’s long journey of separation between Church and State."
What do you think of this change? Let us know in the comments.
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