Hoteliers have urged the Government to ease the "silly and unsociable" restriction on the hours people aged under 18 can legally be present in hotel bars.
Irish Hotels Federation chief executive John Power said the current provisions of the 2003 Intoxicating Liquor Act were anti-family and were damaging Ireland's attractiveness as a tourist destination.
He said a relaxation of the hours during which children were permitted to be in bars, introduced by Minister for Justice Michael McDowell last October, did not go far enough.
Mr McDowell extended until 10pm in the summer months the time which those aged under 18 must vacate a licensed premises. For the remainder of the year, a 9pm time limit applies.
Mr Power, in Cork yesterday on the eve of the hotels federation's annual conference, said it was "ridiculous" that families staying in a hotel could not have a meal in the bar area after 9pm, where they might also enjoy musical entertainment.
He said the law should be amended to allow children in the company of a parent or guardian to participate in food and entertainment in the bar until at least 10.30pm all year round.
"At the moment we have to ask families to leave the bar area after 9pm. It is unsociable and silly, given that these children are under parental supervision," he added.
"Families go away to spend time together. This law runs entirely contrary to that."
Mr Power said it was estimated that more than two million family holidaymakers visited Ireland each year and these were negatively affected by the legislation.
He also claimed it was "incredulous" that government departments did not seem to work in uniformity on national policy, with the Department of Tourism promoting Ireland to family holidaymakers and the Department of Justice creating laws "to discourage family holidays".
