Good Friday pub closures
Senator O'Reilly defended keeping pubs closed on Good Friday as part of Irish religious and cultural tradition and argued against commercial pressures to change it. The Chair reminded the House the matter would be debated later, and the contribution continued with support from Senator Mulherin.
As my party's spokesperson on foreign affairs, I support the views of Senator Aodhán Ó Ríordáin on what is happening in Chechnya and LGBT rights.
I will raise a different issue. There is a long-standing tradition in this House which has been honoured to this day of encouraging independent thought, independent speech and the making of distinctive and personal statements. It is a very important input to political debate in this country. For that reason, I respectfully depart from the developing and growing consensus on the opening of licensed premises on Good Friday which I am against for a number of succinct reasons.
I am against it on the grounds that, de facto, pubs closing on Good Friday is part of our national identity. It is distinctly Irish and has been for a long time.
Comment on this
I shall not accept interruptions because my comments are important.
Comment on this
The closure of pubs on Good Friday is part of our religious tradition. It is non-sectarian in that there has been a buy-in by all of the religious traditions. It also sends a subliminal message on our attitude to alcohol that we favour temperance and have space for a non-alcohol day or two during the year. We should not give in to every fad and whim of commercialism. If there is money to be lost, so be it if there is a valuable national priority to be maintained. Keeping pubs closed on Good Friday is distinctly Irish and part of our religious cultural heritage.
Comment on this
We should open the debate and reflect more before getting rid of everything and giving in to every commercial whim. We should not "fumble in a greasy till and add the halfpence to the pence" on every issue.