Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has been urging Justice Minister Helen McEntee to speed up the introduction of laws to enable later opening times for bars and nightclubs, but it’s uncertain whether this will occur by the forthcoming summer.
Back in November, Ms McEntee announced proposed laws, set to be tabled in February, that will extend the operating hours of the country’s nightlife, with a target for implementation by the summer of 2024. Nightclubs will be allowed to run until 6am, and pubs until 12.30am under the new rules.
These system updates have been under consideration for over 15 years, with proposals presented to the Cabinet in October 2022. Ms McEntee acknowledged in July the irritation caused by the postponements in putting the new laws into action.
However, speaking to the press in Bucharest, Romania, Mr Varadkar expressed uncertainty regarding the enactment of the regulation by the summer.
“I’ve been pushing Ms McEntee to advance this legislation,” he said. “These new rules don’t represent the thorough overhaul of the licensing regulation we desired, but a more specific and targeted initiative. This primarily centers around permitting late licenses for nightclubs and cultural events to emulate the nightlife enjoyed in nearly all other European nations, something absent in Ireland.
Though she has larger priorities, Ms McEntee is committed to this task. We plan to present the bill to Parliament within the next few months, and certainly before the summer break. The Dáil and Seanad are as responsible as the Government for its success. However, the effectiveness of the legislation is guaranteed.
Ms McEntee highlighted to the Dáil last month that Ireland’s nocturnal economy is dwindling, with only 70 nightclubs currently operating nationwide. The proposed regulations have sparked concerns about the potential repercussions increased alcohol accessibility may pose to public health and welfare. Nevertheless, Mr Varadkar assured, “it’s not going to be a massive number of licenses”.
He expressed that the idea of alcohol being readily available in every pub, hotel, and nightclub until the early hours should not be misconstrued. That is not what is being suggested.
The aim is to establish lively venues and nightlife, comparable to what you might find in cities such as Bucharest, Berlin, London, Barcelona, or Lisbon. An atmosphere familiar to Irish people who have visited these places and can’t help but envisage something similar in their homeland.
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