Criminal Law, Civil Law and Defence (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026: Committee Stage (Resumed)
Seanad Éireann — 2026-06-25
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Laura Harmon (LAB), Industrial and Commercial Panel

I move amendment No. 32:
In page 37, between lines 18 and 19, to insert the following:
“(d) the area does not contain any street furniture incorporating advertisements, apart from the name of the licensed premises, that are visible to members of the public, unless with the prior consent of the relevant local authority;”.
Amendment No. 32 relates to the Bill's provisions regarding the licensing of outdoor seating areas in licensed premises. Through the amendment, the Civil Engagement Group seeks to prevent the erection of street furniture containing advertisements in outdoor seating areas unless prior consent has been provided by the relevant local planning authority. The Civil Engagement Group has stated that the Minister will acknowledge and understand that if we walk around the city we will see outdoor areas of many licensed premises that contain street furniture such as umbrellas, canopies, awnings, barriers or guardrails that contain advertisements for brands and companies other than for the licensed premises itself. In the majority of circumstances these advertisements are for alcohol brands that pay for street furniture in exchange for their brand names being included on them. There is a public health rationale for this amendment as the subtle and unregulated erection of these advertisements is in conflict with the advertising codes for alcoholic beverages as set out in the Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018, with particular respect to the watersheds that prevent advertisements for alcoholic products being broadcast at different times during the day and the displaying of advertisements for alcoholic products near public transport stops, crèches, schools and playgrounds.
There is an additional rationale for the amendment in relation to the visual impact that branded street furniture has in the public realm. The public realm in Ireland tends to be quite cluttered when compared with many of our counterparts in Europe. One only needs to walk around Dublin city centre to see this.
While there are laudable aesthetic considerations in reducing unnecessary visual clutter, the primary concern relates to the legibility of public spaces and, therefore, their accessibility for people who have difficulty navigating the built environment. With this in mind, the CEG proposes that we should attempt to reduce unnecessary clutter in the built environment wherever possible.
While recognising the financial considerations in terms of licensed premises accepting complementary street furniture from alcohol beverage companies, the CEG believes the primary consideration must be about how this corporate branded furniture interfaces with the community through the public realm. This amendment would ensure that the street furniture contained in licensed outdoor areas could not contain corporate branding other for the licensed premises itself, limiting the use of our public realm as an unregulated advertising billboard. I moved this amendment on behalf of the Civil Engagement Group but I will withdraw it at this stage.

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Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:55:07+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-06-25