(LRC Revised)

Number 31 of 2003

INTOXICATING LIQUOR ACT 2003

REVISED

Updated to 17 December 2025

Changes to legislation

as of 10 July 2026, this Act is up to date with all changes known to be in force.

This Revised Act is an administrative

consolidation of the

Intoxicating Liquor Act 2003

. It is prepared by the Law

Reform Commission in accordance with its function under the

Law Reform Commission Act

1975

(3/1975) to keep the law under review and to undertake revision and

consolidation of statute law.

All Acts up to and including the

Employment (Contractual Retirement Ages) Act 2025

(16/2025), enacted 16 December 2025, and all statutory instruments up to and

including the

Intoxicating Liquor Act 2003 (Section 21) (Dexcom Stadium, Galway) Regulations 2025

(S.I. No. 654 of 2025), made 17 December 2025, were considered in the preparation

of this Revised Act.

Disclaimer: While every care has been taken in the preparation of this Revised Act,

the Law Reform Commission can assume no responsibility for and give no guarantees,

undertakings or warranties concerning the accuracy, completeness or up to date nature

of the information provided and does not accept any liability whatsoever arising from

any errors or omissions. Please notify any errors, omissions and comments by email

to

revisedacts@lawreform.ie.

Number

31

of

2003

INTOXICATING LIQUOR ACT 2003

REVISED

Updated to 17 December 2025

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

PART 1

Preliminary and General

Section

1.

Short title, collective citations, construction and commencement.

2.

Interpretation.

3.

Repeals.

PART 2

Conduct on Licensed Premises

4.

Drunken persons.

5.

Supply of intoxicating liquor to drunken persons by nonlicensees.

6.

Offences by drunken persons.

7.

Duty of licensee to preserve order.

8.

Disorderly conduct.

9.

Temporary closure of premises.

PART 3

Other Amendments of Intoxicating Liquor Acts

10.

Amendment of prohibited hours on Thursdays.

11.

Special exemption orders.

12.

Prohibition of entertainment during drinking-up time.

13.

Provision of intoxicating liquor for persons under 18 years.

14.

Restrictions on presence in bars of persons under 18 years.

15.

Production of evidence of age by persons between 18 and 21 years.

16.

Further amendments of Act of 1988.

17.

Consumption of intoxicating liquor near licensed premises or in an off-licence.

18.

Entry, inspection, etc. of licensed premises by member of Garda Síochána.

PART 4

Miscellaneous

19.

Jurisdiction of District Court in cases of prohibited conduct on

licensed premises.

20.

Prohibition on supply of intoxicating liquor at reduced price.

(Repealed)

21.

Licences

to national sporting arenas.

22.

Regulations.

(Repealed)

23.

Application of this Act to registered clubs.

24.

Exercise

of jurisdiction.

25.

Amendment

of section 15 of Equal Status Act 2000.

Acts Referred to

Courts (No. 2) Act 1986

1986,

No. 26

Equal Status Act 2000

2000,

No. 8

Fire Services Act 1981

1981,

No. 30

Firearms Acts 1925 to 2000

Intoxicating Liquor Act 1927

1927,

No. 15

Intoxicating Liquor Act 1962

1962,

No. 21

Intoxicating Liquor Act 1988

1988,

No. 16

Intoxicating Liquor Act 2000

2000,

No. 17

Intoxicating Liquor (General) Act

1924

1924,

No. 62

Licensing Act 1872

1872, c. 94

Licensing Acts 1833 to 2003

Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act

1997

1997,

No. 26

Protection of Employees (Part-Time Work)

Act 2001

2001,

No. 45

Public Dance Halls Act 1935

1935,

No. 2

Public Dance Halls Acts 1935 to

2003

Refreshment Houses (Ireland) Act

1860

1860, c. 107

Registration of Clubs Acts 1904 to

2003

Taxes Consolidation Act 1997

1997,

No. 39

Number

31

of

2003

INTOXICATING LIQUOR ACT 2003

REVISED

Updated to 17 December 2025

AN ACT TO AMEND AND EXTEND THE LICENSING ACTS

1833 TO 2003, THE REGISTRATION OF CLUBS ACTS 1904

TO 2003 AND THE EQUAL STATUS ACT 2000 AND TO

PROVIDE FOR RELATED MATTERS. [14

th July

, 2003]

BE IT ENACTED BY THE OIREACHTAS AS FOLLOWS

Annotations

Modifications (not altering

text)

C1

Functions transferred and

references to “Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport” and “Minister for

Transport, Tourism and Sport” construed (16.09.2020) by

Tourism and Sport

(Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order

2020

(S.I. No. 356 of 2020), arts. 2 and 3, in effect as per art. 1(2),

subject to transitional provisions in arts. 4-8.

Note change of name of Department

and Minister to Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (30.09 2020) by

Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (Alteration of Name of Department and

Title of Minister) Order 2020

(S.I. No. 403 of 2020), in effect as per art.

1(2).

2. (1) The administration and

business in connection with the exercise, performance or execution of any

functions transferred by Article 3 are transferred to the Department of Culture,

Heritage and the Gaeltacht.

(2) References to the Department

of Transport, Tourism and Sport contained in any Act or any instrument made under

such Act and relating to any administration and business transferred by paragraph

(1) shall, from the commencement of this Order, be construed as references to the

Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.

3. (1) The functions vested in the

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport by or under — ...

(

d

) the Intoxicating

Liquor Act 2003 (No. 31 of 2003),

...

are transferred to the Minister for

Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.

(2) References to the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport

contained in any Act or instrument made under such Act and relating to any

functions transferred by this Order shall, from the commencement of this Order, be

construed as references to the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the

Gaeltacht.

...

Editorial Notes

E1

Previous affecting

provision: functions transferred and references to “Department of Tourism, Culture

and Sport” and “Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport” construed (1.04.2011) by

Tourism and Sport (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial

Functions) Order 2011

(S.I. No. 140 of 2011), arts. 2 and 3, in effect as

per art. 1(2); superseded as per C-note above.

Annotations

Modifications (not altering

text)

C1

Functions transferred and

references to “Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport” and “Minister for

Transport, Tourism and Sport” construed (16.09.2020) by

Tourism and Sport

(Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order

2020

(S.I. No. 356 of 2020), arts. 2 and 3, in effect as per art. 1(2),

subject to transitional provisions in arts. 4-8.

Note change of name of Department

and Minister to Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (30.09 2020) by

Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (Alteration of Name of Department and

Title of Minister) Order 2020

(S.I. No. 403 of 2020), in effect as per art.

1(2).

2. (1) The administration and

business in connection with the exercise, performance or execution of any

functions transferred by Article 3 are transferred to the Department of Culture,

Heritage and the Gaeltacht.

(2) References to the Department

of Transport, Tourism and Sport contained in any Act or any instrument made under

such Act and relating to any administration and business transferred by paragraph

(1) shall, from the commencement of this Order, be construed as references to the

Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.

3. (1) The functions vested in the

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport by or under — ...

(

d

) the Intoxicating

Liquor Act 2003 (No. 31 of 2003),

...

are transferred to the Minister for

Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.

(2) References to the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport

contained in any Act or instrument made under such Act and relating to any

functions transferred by this Order shall, from the commencement of this Order, be

construed as references to the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the

Gaeltacht.

...

Editorial Notes

E1

Previous affecting

provision: functions transferred and references to “Department of Tourism, Culture

and Sport” and “Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport” construed (1.04.2011) by

Tourism and Sport (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial

Functions) Order 2011

(S.I. No. 140 of 2011), arts. 2 and 3, in effect as

per art. 1(2); superseded as per C-note above.

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

PART 1

Preliminary and General

Section

1.

Short title, collective citations, construction and commencement.

2.

Interpretation.

3.

Repeals.

PART 2

Conduct on Licensed Premises

4.

Drunken persons.

5.

Supply of intoxicating liquor to drunken persons by nonlicensees.

6.

Offences by drunken persons.

7.

Duty of licensee to preserve order.

8.

Disorderly conduct.

9.

Temporary closure of premises.

PART 3

Other Amendments of Intoxicating Liquor Acts

10.

Amendment of prohibited hours on Thursdays.

11.

Special exemption orders.

12.

Prohibition of entertainment during drinking-up time.

13.

Provision of intoxicating liquor for persons under 18 years.

14.

Restrictions on presence in bars of persons under 18 years.

15.

Production of evidence of age by persons between 18 and 21 years.

16.

Further amendments of Act of 1988.

17.

Consumption of intoxicating liquor near licensed premises or in an off-licence.

18.

Entry, inspection, etc. of licensed premises by member of Garda Síochána.

PART 4

Miscellaneous

19.

Jurisdiction of District Court in cases of prohibited conduct on

licensed premises.

20.

Prohibition on supply of intoxicating liquor at reduced price.

(Repealed)

21.

Licences

to national sporting arenas.

22.

Regulations.

(Repealed)

23.

Application of this Act to registered clubs.

24.

Exercise

of jurisdiction.

25.

Amendment

of section 15 of Equal Status Act 2000.

Number

31

of

2003