The Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr Willie O'Dea, appears to have squared the circle in the dispute between the Vintners' Federation of Ireland and the Travellers movement.
The publicans had threatened to impose a blanket ban on Travellers in their premises throughout the State. The Travellers and various bodies including the Irish Council for Civil Liberties said such action would be illegal and unjust.
Mr O'Dea met representatives of both sides yesterday and announced that the State-wide ban will not now go ahead. Publicans in Westport, where the issue came to a head, are expected to abide by the decision of their national organisation. There will also be a review of the operation of the Equal Status Act which, the publicans argue, has unduly restricted their right to keep order on their premises.
Public statements from both sides initially comprised a dialogue of the deaf. The publicans made serious charges about the behaviour of some Travellers and, in particular, the actions of some individuals who contrived to have themselves barred or ejected in order to claim cash compensation. Few on the other side of the argument appeared willing to respond constructively to this most serious allegation. The publicans, on the other hand, gave the impression they believed themselves entitled to opt out of the law.
There cannot be and must not be any rolling back of the equality legislation. The law must not be diluted or put into abeyance at one of its first real tests. Travellers - as much as any others - are entitled to be treated as individuals with rights, with dignity and with the full protection of the law.
But the publicans also have a grievance. Many towns and villages in rural Ireland can tell their tales of intimidation by Travellers, descending in large numbers, threatening shopkeepers and others and sometimes demanding money to move on. Threatening behaviour can be tolerated from no quarter, whether the offender comes from the Traveller or the settled community.
The answer must lie in better enforcement of the law. Some publicans have lost faith in the ability of the Garda to respond in sufficient numbers or with sufficient effectiveness when clients start to make trouble, to threaten or manipulate situations in order be able to make a claim for discrimination. The publicans should be looking for the criminal law to be made effective against such people rather than having the equality laws amended.