James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I again thank Senator Warfield for raising this important matter. I know it is important to the Senator and, of course, it is very important to our night-time economy. As I mentioned, our licensing laws are not fit for purpose in the context of supporting a vibrant and modern night-time economy. The Sale of Alcohol Bill will go a long way towards correcting that. However, we are not simply waiting for the Bill to be enacted to support our night-time and hospitality industries. As part of budget 2023, the Ministers, Deputies McEntee, Donohoe and McGrath, announced that the cost of a special exemption order would be halved to provide immediate support to businesses in the night-time economy. We have also recently extended the legislation facilitating outdoor dining until the end of November this year. Again, this was done to provide support to the hospitality industry through the summer and autumn while we work on the fundamental reform of alcohol licensing laws. I have touched on one aspect of this reform today, the overhaul of opening times. The Minister, Deputy McEntee, looks forward to publishing the Sale of Alcohol Bill later this year and, at that point, outlining in detail the wide-ranging reforms we intend to enact, which will revitalise our night-time culture and economy. I assure the Senator that this matter is a priority for the Government.