Heneghan calls for improvement to Dublin city nightlife

Independent TD Barry Heneghan has said there is a sense among young people in Dublin that the city does not want them.

He said that there is a need to modernise Ireland’s nightlife and the laws surrounding it.

Speaking in the Dáil last week, Heneghan pointed to the work of the Give Us The Night campaign, an advocacy group which has been rallying for years to improve Ireland’s late-night licensing laws.

The Dublin Bay North TD “it is time to modernise our nightlife for the sake of our economy, our safety, and our city”

Discussing the work of the Give Us The Night campaign, Heneghan said, “they have done the hard work, and have built the case; now it is time for the government to act.”

“Our licensing laws are outdated, restrictive, and completely out of step with modern city life. We are not just behind places like Berlin or Amsterdam, but even smaller cities across Europe.”

The independent TD said, “if we had more flexible closing times, we would not have the 3.30 a.m. stampede that overwhelms public transport, increases tensions on the streets, and forces people out of their local pubs earlier than they want to leave in order to get into town.”

“Let people enjoy their local for a bit longer; give them the option to stay closer to home before heading into town to enjoy their night off.”

Heneghan said, “this is not just about DJs and dancefloor, it is about jobs in hospitality, security, public transport, and the creative industries.”

“It is about giving young people a reason to stay in Dublin, to contribute, to create, and to belong.”

“You do not solve fear in the city by shutting things down. You solve it by opening things up properly, by planning for people to be out late, and by giving them safe, inclusive spaces to enjoy.”

The millennial TD said, “right now, young people feel that Dublin is not for them, and that is not the message we should be sending.”

The 2020-2024 government announced plans to extend Ireland’s night-time licensing laws, with a taskforce for the night-time economy set up by then-Minister Catherine Martin in the summer of 2020, with changes to the law formally announced in 2022.

Under the new legislation, nightclubs would be allowed to stay open until 6am and pubs would be allowed to open until 2:30am.

The crux of the issue stems from changes made to Ireland’s licensing laws by then-Minister for Justice Michael McDowell in 2005.

The Intoxicating Liquor (Codification) Bill of 2005, in essence, redefined what public establishments could and couldn’t sell alcohol and had the knock-on effect of affecting the opening hours in which venues such as theatres, concert halls, pubs and nightclubs, which serve alcohol, could operate.

Northside Labour TD Rob O’Donoghue said, “over the past 20 years, we have seen a hollowing out of many arts spaces and venues here in the capital and right across the country.”

“We’ve counted at least 52 artist spaces and venues that have closed over this period. These losses have struck a serious blow to the cultural fabric and energy of our cities and towns.”