Gardaí in Laois have objected to the granting of a licence to a publican on whose premises a drunken man died in the middle of the day earlier this year.
Mr Andy Sinnott, who owns Andy's Bar, Mountrath, Co Laois, appeared in Portlaoise District Court yesterday seeking a licence for another bar, Sheeran's of Coolrane, Co Laois.
However, gardaí said they were concerned that a man had died in Andy's Bar on February 20th last. David Browne (36) of Mountrath, drank a number of straight vodkas in the hours before his death. He told Mr Aidan Sinnott, the son of the licensee, that he had reached "the point of no return with drink".
Mr Browne took ill in the bar and later died while lying in the recovery position on a stage in the bar. An inquest returned a verdict of death through respiratory aspiration associated with alcohol intoxication.
Judge Mary Martin granted the application, but warned Mr Sinnott that he was responsible for running his premises.