Nightclubs are to be given the green light to remain open until 6am in a major overhaul of the country's licensing laws. That's according to the Irish Daily Mail.
This new legislation is said to help boost the nighttime economy. Nightclubs will operate at different hours to pubs and late bars, and they will have to apply for a special nightclub permit.
According to the Irish Daily Mail's government sources, The details of the new law licensing laws will be published by the Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee 'within weeks' and will be before the Oireachtas before the summer recess.
Late bars and nightclubs can only stay open until 2.30am at the moment as long as they have a Speecial Exemption Order (SEO) from their local district court. A Public Dancing Licence is also required at the moment but is due to be abolished.
The pandemic has had a huge impact on the hospitality sector with large numbers of bars and nightclubs closing for good, so this move will have a major boost to the sector.
The Night-Time Economy Taskforce report also recommended eight new 24-hour bus routes in Dublin city. Bus services in Waterford were also recommended for improvement.
A Government source told the Daily Mail that "the importance of creating a more diverse night-time economy sector, focusing on both the local community and tourists, and broadening the part of the night-time economy offering that does not involve the sale of alcohol or is not centered on the sale of alcohol"
In December 2019, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said "I think we can do better for people who enjoy the night in Ireland and tourists and it is something that we are very much working on.
The Give Us The Night (GUTN) campaign had lobbied Government for 6pm to 6am trading hours, an introduction of a night mayor in each city to act as a liaison between stakeholders in the night-time industry and the abolishing of the SEO system.
According to the GUTN, there are now less than 100 nightclubs nationwide, compared to 20 years ago when there were more than 500 nightclubs.
