The Seanad has spoken: Good Friday alcohol ban to be debated

If there's one thing sure to raise blood pressure on a particular Thursday every year, it's the realisation that getting your hands on booze the following day will be next to impossible unless a forward-thinking friend had the foresight to stock up.

However, the Good Friday alcohol ban, which has been in place for 90 years, may soon become a thing of the past after the Seanad today passed a bill which called for the sale of alcohol on the religious holiday.

According to emerging reports, the bill was passed unanimously after the Government amended the new law to ensure it would not only apply to hotels, but pubs as well.

Commenting on the passing of The Intoxicating Liquor (Amendment) Bill, Senator Billy Lawless, said: "In my mind, the passage of today's bill is another progressive step in Ireland's long journey in the separation of church and State."

"It is understandable when lawmakers try to introduce legislation that changes a practice that has been in place for almost 100 years, people pause to reflect, yet this is what lawmaking is about."

"There is an affinity to the closed day but that affinity is in fact leading to alcohol abuse in many case," he added. 

The legislation will be debated in the Dail following its summer break.