Fintan Warfield (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We had a very good Private Members' debate on night-life and the night-time economy prior to the summer recess. In our pre-budget submission we called for special exemption orders to be abolished in full and to be waived until the sale of alcohol Bill goes through the Oireachtas.While I welcome the Government's commitment to halve those fees, I take this opportunity to say they are a racket. Between 2008 and 2019, there was a 56% reduction in the granting of special exemption orders, SEOs, which allow nightclubs and night venues to open from 12.30 a.m. until 2.30 a.m. They cost €410 per night, plus legal fees, and are a complete racket. They make it almost impossible to run venues, particularly on a Sunday night. They are not transferable, which means that if an act, a DJ or a band is cancelled, the venue cannot get its money back and the dates cannot be changed. An SEO is required per night of opening from 12.30 a.m. to 2.30 a.m. There is nothing special about opening until 2.30 a.m. Ireland is a modern European state. We should have a system that reflects that. The introduction of an annual charge at a nominal fee for nightclubs, night and cultural venues and the creation of a dedicated nightclub and night venue licence are the grounds on which we should be discussing the sale of alcohol Bill. I hope the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee, will publish that Bill as soon as possible. I have been talking to people in the music industry today. They say that people should not be told that the fees are being waived because it has been a difficult couple of years. They say that the fees should be abolished because it is a ridiculous system and it is a racket that bleeds money from the cultural system into court and legal fees and excise duties.