Seanad debates

Wednesday, 29 September 2021

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business

 

10:30 am

Photo of Ollie CroweOllie Crowe (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

This morning I raise the issue of special exemption orders for bars and nightclubs across the country. Any licensed premises that seeks to open late currently has an additional payment of €410 per night, made up of €300 in court stamp duty and €110 in excise stamp duty. That is the total of €410. The figure does not include the cost of legal fees associated with court attendance, etc. To put that into perspective, that represents an extra €8,200 per month in charges for a late-night venue that operates five nights per week in any of our cities across the country, so that it can open its doors late.

As Members of Seanad Éireann will be aware, the Government has already signalled its intention to reform licensing laws and to abolish the current late-night fee system. We are emerging from a pandemic that has hammered the hospitality sector. Many of the businesses that will be seeking special exemption orders in the coming months will have been closed for almost 600 days before they reopen. These businesses have followed guidelines throughout the pandemic and made sacrifices for the good of our country and for the good of our people. As they seek to rebuild post-Covid, they need and deserve our support to do so.

Businesses that have been shut for a year-and-a-half are simply not in a financial position to pay these sorts of fees upfront. If the fees are applied in full, many will need to limit the number of late nights they open. That, in turn, will of course have a knock-on impact on other businesses that are part of the night-time economy. As the Cathaoirleach and the Leader will be aware, musicians are outside Leinster House this morning to make known their stance. I have no doubt that many Members in the House will support the musicians, taxi drivers, and many other services that work alongside the late-night economy.

It is my view that these fees should be waived until 2022 at the earliest, so that the night-time economy can start with the boost it so desperately needs. I ask Leader of the House if she could raise this with the Minister for Justice, Deputy Heather Humphreys, at her earliest convenience. It is obviously a time sensitive matter.

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