Intoxicating Liquor Act, 1927

Area exemption orders.

16.—(1) The Justice of the District Court upon its being represented to him by the officer in charge of the Gárda Síochána for a licensing area (not being or forming part of a county borough) that, by reason of the expected incursion on any Sunday of a large number of persons into such licensing area for a special occasion, the observance on that day by the holders of on-licences attached to premises in such licensing area or any particular part thereof of the provisions of this Act relating to prohibited hours and the enforcement of such provisions on that day by the Gárda Síochána will be attended with unreasonable difficulty may, if he so thinks fit, grant in respect of such licensing area or any particular part thereof (in this section referred to as the exempted area) an order (in this Act referred to as an area exemption order) exempting all holders of on-licences attached to premises in the exempted area on such Sunday from the provisions of this Act relating to prohibited hours in respect of such premises during such period or periods (not exceeding in the whole three hours) as may be specified in such order.

(2) Whenever an area exemption order is granted the holder of an on-licence attached to premises in the exempted area to which such order relates shall if he takes advantage of such order during the period or periods on the Sunday named therein supply on his premises food and non-alcoholic drink at reasonable prices to any person demanding the same.

(3) Whenever an area exemption order is granted the holder of an on-licence attached to premises in the exempted area to which such order relates shall if and so long as he complies with the provisions of the foregoing sub-section be exempted during the period and on the Sunday named in such order from any penalty for contravention in respect of such premises of the provisions of this Act relating to prohibited hours, but not from any other penalty under this or any other Act.