Minister told of opposition to cafe bars

Five Ministers and six Ministers of State either wrote directly or forwarded submissions to Minister for Justice Michael McDowell on behalf of groups opposing his plans to introduce cafe bars, official correspondence released yesterday reveals.

Documentation released to TG4 under the Freedom of Information Act shows that 58 members of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party made submissions to the Minister opposing the plan.

In June Mr McDowell dropped proposals for cafe bars and opted instead to reform the restaurant licensing system in the face of widespread opposition from within Fianna Fáil.

The correspondence released to TG4 yesterday reveals that Minister for Agriculture and Food Mary Coughlan wrote personally to Mr McDowell on May 26th highlighting concerns raised by vintners in her Donegal constituency.

Ministers Brian Cowen, John O'Donoghue, Mary Hanafin and Dermot Ahern forwarded representations made to them about the cafe bar proposals.

Ministers of State Tony Killeen, Conor Lenihan, Pat "the Cope" Gallagher, John Browne, Ivor Callely and Tom Parlon also passed on submissions they had received. Overall, 67 members of the Oireachtas sent submissions to the Minster for Justice opposing the introduction of cafe bars.

It is understood most of the submissions passed to the Minister had been drawn up either by groups representing publicans or by those opposed to the extension of alcohol outlets on road safety or health grounds.

In her letter Ms Coughlan said that, following her meeting with local vintners, there were a number of issues she believed Ministers would have to discuss.

"Regarding a cafe bar, there is absolutely no support for it here locally. It cannot be policed. Even existing licences are not policed, and there does not seem to be any enthusiasm for same."

Ms Coughlan in her letter also made representations about the sale of alcohol in supermarkets.

"The other issue is regarding the sale of alcohol within the supermarkets and I must agree with the vintners on this matter. In large Dunnes Stores, Tesco and places like that, there is a specific place for alcohol within the supermarket. It is cornered off and there is only one door.

"In other places it is freely available within the entire shopping facility, and perhaps you could advise if something could be done to ensure that, if alcohol is made available at such a place, it is not as freely accessible as heretofore."

Ms Coughlan told Mr McDowell there was also concern in Donegal about issuing alcohol licences to guesthouses. However, she said an ID-card system would be wholeheartedly supported.

Ironically, during the row over the cafe bar proposals in June the Government insisted there was full Cabinet support for the move.