THE HEAD OF a group that represents Irish publicans has said that there is a risk a violent attack in a pub could prove fatal.

Padraig Cribben, the chief executive of the Vintners’ Federation of Ireland (VFI), the group that represents Irish publicans outside of Dublin, has issued the warning in today’s Examiner.

This follows a statement earlier this week encouraging tougher sentences to be introduced for those who carry out attacks on publicans.

“Many of our members are feeling vulnerable and exposed. We receive calls on a weekly basis about assaults right around the country,” he said.

“Publicans are being left with serious injuries and premises are being destroyed on a regular basis.

We estimate that such attacks have increased by 40%-50% in recent years. This is a wholly unsatisfactory and intolerable situation.

He went on to say that publicans had sustained facial injuries, broken noses and cracked ribs. Beyond the physical violence, many pub workers had been affected by “mental trauma”.

He pointed to “stronger sentencing” as the solution to the problem, and that without it, “acts of violence are likely to continue”.

Cribben went on to call on the judiciary to take a tougher stance when it came to attacks on publicans.

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