Debate contribution: Liquor Licensing

Debate contribution by Ms Aoife Finnegan on 8 December 2025.

MLA: Ms Aoife Finnegan
Party at the time: Sinn Féin
Date: 8 December 2025
Type: Debate contribution
Business: Oral Answers to Questions
Heading: Liquor Licensing
Assembly identifier: Official Report component 5284700

Text

I thank the Minister for his answer. Minister, the report that your Department commissioned was unequivocal in showing that the surrender principle prevents new pubs from being set up. Evidence shows that two thirds of existing licences are being surrendered to off-licences rather than to bars. Do you accept that your do-nothing approach will do further damage to the night-time economy and will cause the number of bars in cities, towns and villages to continue to reduce while preventing entrepreneurs from setting up new bars and businesses?

87 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Part of an exchange

This follow-up belongs to: Oral question AQO 2852/22-27.

Assessment

Not analysed

This is the same MLA’s follow-up within the exchange on their own question. It is analysed together with that question and is not counted separately, so one question is never counted twice.

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