Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

The agent of change principle could really impact not only on developing and sustaining our night-time economy but also on the broader plans for more sustainable urban communities. There is much discussion on how night-time venues can co-exist with residential development in our cities and urban areas. Finding ways to address these challenges is essential to establishing and maintaining viable communities in our town and city centres while maintaining a vibrant night-time economy. While encouraging residential development in urban centres is clearly key to people living closer to amenities and services, it cannot be at the expense of long-established night-time venues. This issue of the agent of change principle arose during discussions on the night-time economy task force. My Department is establishing a small working group to look at best practice in this space and to examine the various challenges that might arise. This work will begin shortly but it will also involve other key stakeholders such as local authorities and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

It is worth noting that all of this work feeds into the discussion around noise management in the night-time economy. My Department is rolling out funding for businesses in the night-time economy for soundproofing and noise mitigation measures to promote a more sustainable night-time economy.

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