Nightclubs in the Republic of Ireland could soon receive a major boost with a possible shift on licensing laws that will see them allowed to remain open until 6am.
An overhaul of the country’s licensing system is reportedly in the works, and has been called for by various figures within Ireland’s hospitality and music industries for many years. A new approach to licensing in the country would differentiate clubs from pubs and bars, government sources told Extra.ie. They added that details on the new laws are not yet final, but should be published by Minister for Justice Helen McEntee "within weeks."
Under Ireland’s current licensing laws, nightclubs must close by 2.30am and obtain a Special Exemption Order (SEO) at a cost of €410 per night. These laws have been widely criticised by various people for many years, and have been seen to have significantly stifled Ireland’s nightlife industry. Further bureaucracy under the present laws meant that nightclubs also required a Public Dancing Licence to host events – this is expected to be scrapped as part of the new legislation.
Giving Us The Night, an organisation which has campaigned for many years to improve Ireland’s nightlife situation, is cautiously optimistic about the new legislation. Responding to the news, the group tweeted: "We’d urge people to wait until an official government announcement is made before celebrating, but yes, we’re hopeful that this is the type of time we’ll see venues running to, not just in Dublin but nationwide."
Beyond calling for a more liberal approach to closing times for nightclubs, as well as the scrapping of SEOs and Public Dancing Licenses, Give Us The Night has also been campaigning for the introduction of a night mayor that can represent the interests of the nightlife industry. It’s not yet known whether that is part of the Irish government’s new plans.
