Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Courts are busy and pressured places. It can be difficult to get a case heard. If one wishes to obtain a special exemption order, one must go to court on multiple occasions. One must also renew one's standing licence annually.

Perhaps the Department of Justice and Equality might return to this issue. There was a proposal from Give Us The Night that involved a possible role for local authorities not in respect of the recurring standing licence but in respect of special exemption orders, extensions and late night openings. I know that the point was made by the Department that there was a role for the courts in seeking feedback on noise levels and anti-social behaviour, which is fair enough. We must take all of those factors into account in the considering the many uses of buildings, but are the local authorities not well placed to undertake that role? Do the delegates think there is merit in the proposal that the local authorities have a role in that regard. Will the officials from the Department also answer that question? Is there some role for the local authorities to play, with possibly a licensing committee?