Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I agree with the Minister. There are initiatives we can work on. The night-time economy can be positive and we can build on it. Coupled with that, we can have alcohol-free events and change the culture. Like the Minister, I have two daughters aged 12 and 15. Sometimes, pre-Covid we went to concerts, but virtually everything we attended at night involved alcohol. Irish society is now more nuanced and we are starting to change. One of the results of Covid is that people are looking at different ways to live their lives and interact. That is why it is so important the night-time economy is not just captured by alcohol. We want to see a broad range of events that everyone can attend. I hope we can work together on this.

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