Vincent P Martin (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

The night-time economy task force report was published in September 2021. It contained 36 actions across a broad range of issues associated with the night-time economy, all with the aim of increasing the diversity of events, increasing cultural opportunities for families and other age groups into the evening, and looking at new ways of encouraging innovation and creativity in the night-time economy. An implementation group made up of key Departments, agencies and sectoral representation has been established to ensure the recommendations contained in the report are implemented. The Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media has allocated €4 million of her budget towards the implementation of the actions contained in the night-time economy report in areas which her Department is leading or has a supporting role. Significant progress has been made in regard to a number of task force recommendations. For example, the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media supported a new series of late-night events across the country as part of Culture Night last year on foot of a task force recommendation in this area. Further events are planned for this year's Culture Night, including a number of national cultural institutions hosting later night events. The National Museum of Ireland, the National Concert Hall and the Irish Museum of Modern Art are all hosting pilot late-night events this year. A number of national cultural institutions are planning late openings on foot of the recommendations of the night-time economy task force report. I am always worried about reports that gather dust on the shelf but it is clear that there is an intent to implement this one.Crucially, the Department of Justice is progressing the modernisation of licensing laws. This was another recommendation of the task force report. Anyone who has worked in the sector knows how crucial it is. I was a student union leader for one year and I had ultimate responsibility for a pub and nightclub. There was the expense of lawyers to seek bar extensions. We almost missed rag week. We had to plan it in advance. It was an unnecessary challenge for the students. The licensing laws are archaic and have to be radically reformed.

Progress has been made on the pilot initiative establishing new night-time advisers in six cities and towns to develop new night-time economy opportunities. This initiative will be supported by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. A valuation committee with membership from the Department, the County and City Management Association, CCMA, and an external independent member will review each application. Towns and cities in two categories will be selected by the evaluation committee. Three towns with populations between 5,000 and 10,000 will be selected, as will three towns and cities with populations of more than 10,000. Once the selection process has been completed and announced a night-time adviser will be appointed to each of the selected areas.

Most recently the Minister with responsibility for culture and arts announced a new €2.6 million pilot night-time economy support scheme and this has proved very popular. It will support venues such as pubs, cafes and alcohol-free venues to trial new events, activities and initiatives at night, with a particular focus on off-peak times to encourage an increased variety of night-time entertainment offerings, increased footfall in our towns and cities in the evenings and the creation of employment for artists and performers, with a particular focus on new and emerging acts.

The task force report also recognises a need for increased diversification and inclusivity. These are two very important words that should underpin everything. They are essential and should be centre and front of our night-time economy. Having a balance between alcohol and alcohol-free activities is important. I note the pilot night-time economy support scheme will encourage coffee shops to stay open later and encourage licensed premises to go for arts from Monday to Friday. It is all good and very important. It will actively engage a wider demographic in the night-time economy.

To the stakeholders I say that apart from it being their livelihood I know it is their love and passion. Most importantly, the tens of thousands of people who love the night-time life and being patrons should rest assured because while I do not like making predictions, I know for sure that the crucial two Ministers involved, the Minister for Justice and the Minister with responsibility for culture and arts, are travelling in the right direction. They have a good, constructive and focused agenda to ensure this happens. I look forward to radical reform of the archaic licensing laws. It behoves the two Ministers to deliver. I have total confidence this will be a seismic moment and a groundbreaking day. I thank and commend Senator Warfield on tabling this for the agenda. It is highly appropriate that it has received centre-stage attention in Seanad Éireann.