Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 24 January 2023

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality

General Scheme of the Sale of Alcohol Bill 2022: Discussion

Mr. Robbie Kitt:

We are also slightly cornered into speaking about this because the only way to can a nightclub permit is to have a publican's licence. We again have suggested that we get a stand-alone licence. That is not the case anymore. Even when I talk about the cultural amenities licence having access to this nightclub permit system, we need to talk about the stunning lack of diversity in our night-time economy relating to social infrastructure. Where are the places people can be together? As a musician and DJ, I can see answers within the cultural amenities licence but it does not afford those licence holders access to the nightclub permit system. We are cornered into that conversation that we can only really talk about extinguishment because that is the only way in which someone can access a nightclub permit.