- The latest opponents of the new Intoxicating Liquor Bill are the
  country's sporting bodies.  Under the terms of the Act, golf clubs,
  GAA clubs, rugby clubs, soccer clubs and others will no longer be
  permitted to make their premises available for wedding receptions and
  similar events unless the booking is made by a club member.  When the
  Bill was being considered by an Oireachtas Committee a member of the
  Independent Liquor Licence Reform Group highlighted the anomaly where
  a restaurant will be able to serve wine and beer but not an Irish
  coffee.  J.J. Bunyan argued that the two Vintner Associations had
  "their fingerprints all over" the Bill.  Another member of the ILLRG
  said that while he could sell wine in his supermarket, if he wished
  to sell beer he would have to spend around IR130k on a pub licence.