Pub Laws

Shelflife

Sitting in a pub last night in Galway with my son 16, and friend of mine. its a busy pub and we are sitting at a table in the a little room/snug minding our own business when a member of staff informs us that we will have to leave.

when i ask why he replies that its not a proper place for a minor to be, i reply that hes 16 and is entitled to be here as he is with a parent. Im told that its not a suitable enviroment for a minor as its a sat night and there will be drunken people around and the place will be bananas (his words).

I reply, surely you should remove those people rather than those that are sitting around simply enjoying their drinks and that they should focus on that rathar than throwing us out for no good reason.

not wishing to cause a fuss and being polite throughout the discussion we agreed to leave after we finished the drinks infront of us.

they never cited that it was pub policy, simply that they/he didnt feel it was a suitable environment for a minor to be in.

i felt as a parent that i was better placed to decide what was a suitable environment for my son. remember this was a simple pub, no music or late bar , it was busy but not cramped.we were just having a few quiet pints after the Connacht game.

It left a sour taste to be effectively kicked out of a pub for doing nothing wrong.

What are your views on this. Did they overstep the mark?

have any

bath handle

Shelflife wrote: »

Sitting in a pub last night in Galway with my son 16, and friend of mine. its a busy pub and we are sitting at a table in the a little room/snug minding our own business when a member of staff informs us that we will have to leave.

when i ask why he replies that its not a proper place for a minor to be, i reply that hes 16 and is entitled to be here as he is with a parent. Im told that its not a suitable enviroment for a minor as its a sat night and there will be drunken people around and the place will be bananas (his words).

I reply, surely you should remove those people rather than those that are sitting around simply enjoying their drinks and that they should focus on that rathar than throwing us out for no good reason.

not wishing to cause a fuss and being polite throughout the discussion we agreed to leave after we finished the drinks infront of us.

they never cited that it was pub policy, simply that they/he didnt feel it was a suitable environment for a minor to be in.

i felt as a parent that i was better placed to decide what was a suitable environment for my son. remember this was a simple pub, no music or late bar , it was busy but not cramped.we were just haveing a few quiet pints after the Connacht game.

It left a sour taste to be effectively kicked out of a pub for doing nothing wrong.

What are your views on this. Did they overstep the mark?

have any

So, now you know where you're not wanted.

Corruptable

Where the licence-holder feels that a child's presence in the bar could reasonably be regarded as harmful to a child's health, safety or welfare, then such a child is not allowed in the bar of that licensed premises, even if accompanied by a parent or guardian.

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Travel-g186591-c116590/Ireland:Pubs.Children.And.The.Law.html

Shelflife

Corruptable wrote: »

Where the licence-holder feels that a child's presence in the bar could reasonably be regarded as harmful to a child's health, safety or welfare, then such a child is not allowed in the bar of that licensed premises, even if accompanied by a parent or guardian.

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Travel-g186591-c116590/Ireland:Pubs.Children.And.The.Law.html

thats fair enough Corruptable, but how he could feel that sitting quietly in a snug of a quiet but busy pub could reasonably be regarded as harmful is what puzzles me.

dermot_sheehan

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2003/en/act/pub/0031/sec0014.html#sec14

34.—(1) The holder of a licence of licensed premises shall not, subject to subsections (2) to (4) of this section, allow a person under the age of 18 years to be in the bar of the licensed premises at any time.

(2) (a) It shall not be unlawful for such a holder to allow a child who is accompanied by his or her parent or guardian to be in the bar of the licensed premises between 10.30 a.m. (12.30 p.m. on a Sunday) and 9.00 p.m.

(b) Paragraph (a) of this subsection does not apply in relation to a child where it appears to the holder that the child's presence in the bar could reasonably be regarded as injurious to his or her health, safety or welfare.

(3) It shall not be unlawful for such a holder to allow a person who is aged at least 15 years but under the age of 18 years to be in the bar between 10.30 a.m. (12.30 p.m. on Sundays) and 9.00 p.m.

(4) It shall not be unlawful for such a holder to allow a child who is accompanied by his or her parent or guardian or a person who is aged at least 15 years but under the age of 18 years to be in the bar on the occasion of a private function at which a substantial meal is served to persons attending the function.

(5) Subsection (1) of this section does not apply in relation to a person under the age of 18 years who—

(a) is a son or daughter of the licensee,

(b) resides in the licensed premises,

(c) is passing through the bar solely for the purpose of entering or leaving another part of the premises, or

(d) is employed in the licensed premises in accordance with section 38 of this Act.

(6) A person who contravenes subsection (1) of this section or causes or procures or attempts to cause or procure a person to go to or to be in the bar of licensed premises in contravention of that subsection is guilty of an offence under this section and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding—

(a) for a first offence, €300, or

(b) for a second or any subsequent offence, €500.

(7) If a child is present in a bar at a time or in circumstances where the child's presence is not allowed under subsection (1) of this section, the parent or guardian of the child is guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding €300, unless he or she establishes that the child was so present—

(a) without his or her knowledge or consent, or

(b) in the circumstances specified in subsection (5).

(8) In any proceedings against the holder of a licence of licensed premises for a contravention of subsection (1) of this section it shall be a defence to prove that the holder used all due diligence to prevent the person concerned from being admitted to or remaining in the bar.”

Shelflife

Cheers Dermot, my reading of the above means that an u18 cannot be in a licenced premises after 9 unless its a private function.

i was under the impression that if they were accompanied by an adult , then they were allowed to be on the premises.

Its a bit sad that its illegal to sit quietly in a bar with your son or daughter after the ungodly hour of 9pm.

McCrack

Besides it being the law that U18 are not permitted in pubs/bars after 9pm its a matter of opinion whether you agree with it.

Personally I agree with the legislation. Bar/pub after 9pm is not the place for children/teenagers to be sitting around with adults drinking.

Shelflife

I understand the logic behind it McCrack, however as a visitor to Galway for an event, its a long time sitting in a b&b watching telly or wandering around the town.

Id much prefer for my 16yo to be sitting around discussing with responsible adults the game that we were all at in a pub then knacker drinking in a field behind a housing estate or just wandering the streets as alot of them seem to do.

Its hard on a lot of tourists that they cant enjoy music in the pubs with their families, not too bad in the summer but in the winter you are restricted in what you can do.

as usual the many must pay for the faults of the few.

galwayfreak

Would you also pay the fine and loss of earning if a garda came in and found him. its not a question of wants or likes, its the law. i would love to have been allowed to drive when i was ten but just cause i wanted to doesnt mean i could.

Shelflife

galwayfreak wrote: »

Would you also pay the fine and loss of earning if a garda came in and found him. its not a question of wants or likes, its the law. i would love to have been allowed to drive when i was ten but just cause i wanted to doesnt mean i could.

ahhh galwayfreak if you read post 6 you would have seen that i was under the impression that it was not illegal to be there, and the staff member never said it was against the law merely that in his opinion it wasnt a proper place for him to be.

if he pointed out that it was illegal for him to be there, i would have left straight away.

dermott clarified the legal situation, which is more then the staff member did.

Corruptable

Shelflife wrote: »

I understand the logic behind it McCrack, however as a visitor to Galway for an event, its a long time sitting in a b&b watching telly or wandering around the town.

Id much prefer for my 16yo to be sitting around discussing with responsible adults the game that we were all at in a pub then knacker drinking in a field behind a housing estate or just wandering the streets as alot of them seem to do.

Its hard on a lot of tourists that they cant enjoy music in the pubs with their families, not too bad in the summer but in the winter you are restricted in what you can do.

as usual the many must pay for the faults of the few.

I think it is positive overall and in most concievable situations. I can't imagine it being hugely enjoyable or positive for a child to be stuck in a pub till the early hours of the night due to selfish parents.

I remember being with my family in a certain hotel on an off-shore island off the coast of Galway where it was the first time it was ever applied in my experience. We left to a less stricter establishment down the road, and then went home not long after 10pm.

saa

galwayfreak wrote: »

Would you also pay the fine and loss of earning if a garda came in and found him. its not a question of wants or likes, its the law. i would love to have been allowed to drive when i was ten but just cause i wanted to doesnt mean i could.

In fairness OP they employee wasn't trying to be a prick and its not that youre not welcome there
it sounds like a very ott law but i suppose its to protect young ones from being kept there every weekend while their parents drink.

And I know your childs 16 they can sit in a pub but in the eyes of the law they might as well be a child of any other age.