Ireland’s craft beer industry has been thriving in recent years, with many of the distilleries, breweries and microbreweries also attracting tourists in their droves, country-wide.
However an anomaly in our current licensing laws means that owners are not able to sell their produce to visitors onsite, impacting the potential for growth.
The Intoxicating Liquor (Breweries and Distilleries) Bill 2016 would remove this regulatory barrier allowing for produce to be sold, as is the case in wineries in Europe.
Alan Kelly's new Bill also includes safeguards such as time restrictions of between 10am and 6pm for sales, and fines to ensure owners don’t sell alcohol that is not brewed on site.
There's also a clause preventing the license holders from applying for the types of exemptions and/or extensions to opening hours that pubs and clubs for example, can apply for."
Welcoming today’s Government motion on the Labour Party’s Craft Brewers Bill, Alan Kelly TD has said the move signifies that the proposed legislation is "moving in the right direction".
Deputy Kelly, who was the focus of a major Hot Press Interview earlier this year, said: “After passing second stage last spring, today’s motion by Government is another sign the Bill is moving in the right direction, and I hope this will end any further delays to this common sense measure.
“With cross party support, this important and sensible legislation should now progress quickly to committee stage so we can support this expanding Irish industry.”