Confusion has reigned since it was announced that despite extra pavement space being encouraged by the government to cater for outdoor dining, the consumption of alcohol on the street was still technically an offence. An Garda Síochána said they would exercise discretion in enforcing the law, but publicans have been left in the dark as to the legal ramifications of serving alcohol on the streets outside their premises.
Last week several pubs in Galway City were visited by Gardaí in relation to outdoor drinking.
Galway City Vintners chairman Johnny Duggan, who is also the proprietor of Taylor's Bar and Beer Garden, has asked the state to intervene and clear up the matter. He believes publicans can't rely on the discretion of the Gardaí.
"We have always had a good relationship with the guards. Our position on it at the moment is that the guards seem to be technically correct in the sense that there is a conflict - there seems to be a potential illegality for serving alcohol outside at the moment," he said. "It just needs clarification from the state probably by way of legislation. If you have been granted an outdoor dining licence and you already hold a liquor licence or any type of a licence for serving alcohol, that you can serve alcohol into these new areas. We think it can be fixed quite easily to give clarity to everybody including publicans, guards, patrons - that everybody knows where they stand."
