The owner of a Dublin pub, which was severely criticised for running a drinks promotion to coincide with the day when people receive their social welfare payments, has said the event will not now go ahead.

The pub, Liz Delaney's in Coolock, had called the promotion ‘Welfare Wednesday' and had even used a logo of the Department of Social Protection in its poster campaign. However, it was told to remove the logo by the department, after the Minister for Social Protection, Joan Burton, described the event as ‘irresponsible'.

As part of the promotion, welfare recipients would have been able to avail of a range of alcoholic drinks for reduced prices, including whiskey and pints of beer for just €3 each.

According to Fine Gael Senator, Catherine Noone, the event would have acted as ‘an invitation for people to spend their social welfare on alcohol when they receive it'.

"I would be deeply concerned at people being encouraged to spend irresponsibly on the day they receive their welfare," she commented.

However, speaking on RTÉ Radio on Wednesday morning, the owner of the pub, Gary Payne, acknowledged that it had been a mistake to use the word welfare in the promotion and the event would not go ahead. A promotion open to everyone would be held in its place.

He said that the event was not intended to offend or upset anyone and insisted that it would not have been a ‘binge drinking party'.