Limerick pubs win victory for common sense
Today in Limerick publicans were given the go-ahead to open their doors on Good Friday. The special permission granted by Judge Tom O’Donnell allows pubs to open from 6pm to 11:30pm.
While this is a victory in my view, it’s still not enough, and the law must be changed to allow alcohol to be sold on Good Friday like any other day in the year. Why has the government chosen to enforce a Christian practice on its citizens?
I would accept the statement that Ireland is a Catholic country. Well over 80% of the population identifies with this, and including Protestants, we have a population that is over 90% Christian.
However, Christians have free will, and if they are devout in their religion then they will not go to the pub anyway! Closing pubs on Friday will only lead to a loss of business from non-Christians, and it affects more casual Christians who would choose to drink on Good Friday.
It’s time we moved away from church control in this country, and away from laws that restrict an Irish persons right to have a drink. The most recent licensing laws stop the sale of alcohol at 10pm in supermarkets and off-licences! Great, so I’m just going to buy my drink before then, and drink it anyway. It’s unacceptable that the government has attacked liberty and freedom in this way. I don’t see myself buying cans after 10 o’clock, but if I did I should have the right to do so.
If I was in government I would remove this law, and I would allow all pubs nationwide to open on Good Friday, and on any other day they like!