The Department of Justice should focus on reducing crime levels instead of enhancing licencing laws.
That's according to Cllr Sarah O'Reilly who asked Cavan County Council to write to Minister Helen McEntee and request the findings from the research that her department carried to support this latest decision on the country's 'antiquated' licencing laws, during a recent meeting of the local authority.
Under the new measures introduced in October, pubs will stay open until 12:30; late night bars until 2:30am; and nite clubs will be allowed to operate until 6am. Cllr O'Reilly says the country is in the midst of a housing crisis with county council's "struggling" to attract people to live in towns.
She added that these laws and the subsequent increase in anti-social behaviour and crime in town centres - that they will bring with them - will do nothing to deal with the dereliction problems across rural Cavan.
"The Minister is introducing this legislation in the middle of a spiralling crime crisis and Gardai are already understaffed, and under-resourced. The number of rapes reported in the last 10 years has increased by 100%.
"Attempts and threats of murder, assaults, and harassment have also increase significantly. And, the recruitment process within An Garda Siochana has not been successful," she added.
