New drink limit the ‘death knell’ for pubs

December 1994

The social life of Ireland is being changed utterly by the new drink driving laws, according to the chairman of the Wexford and District Vintners Association.

Brian Larkin believes that the tradition of Irish pub culture is in danger of extinction because of the new legislation, as people are now afraid to have a social life.

The legislation, which took effect last Friday, lowers the limit on blood alcohol from 100mg to 80mg per 100 millilitres of blood, effectively meaning that just one drink could theoretically leave a motorist facing a two-year driving disqualification. Brian Larkin sees this as effective spelling the death knell of rural, family-owned pubs.

‘Rural pubs would definitely have had a disastrous weekend,’ he said. ‘These are pubs depending on country people to come in and have a few pints and now that’s over. People were getting sensible before this, just having a few pints and then going home, but now they’re not even able to do that anymore.’

The Vintners’ chairman added that people’s drinking habits were changing anyway, as people were less inclined to buy rounds, but were more inclined to stay ‘single’ for a few pints and then leave.

Brian Larkin said that those who would be hit hardest by the new legislation were those living in isolated rural areas, who wouldn’t be able to get a lift as far as a pub. ‘What about some poor fella living on his own in the country whose only social life was to go into the pub and have a few pints and talk about the hurling or whatever? His social life is gone at the stroke of a pen.

‘There seems to be some sort of witch-hunt against publicans… whatever goes wrong, we seem to get the blame. I’d like to know how many road accidents are caused by bad driving or bad roads, as well as by drink driving,’ he said.

Brian Larkin himself will drive anyone home from his pub in Kilmacree that has no other way of getting home, but he points out that this is yet more expense on the publican. ‘If they get here themselves under their own steam, I’ ll drive them home, but I don’t know how many pubs are going to be able to do that,’ he said.