James Geoghegan (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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119. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will outline his plans to fund the Dublin city night-time economy strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22895/25]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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In support of Action 19 in the Report of the Night-Time Economy Taskforce my Department, in partnership with the County and City Management Association invited all local authorities to apply to take part in a Night-Time Economy pilot initiative. The aim of the initiative is to stimulate night-time activity in a particular area supported by a Night-Time Economy Advisor. Dublin City was selected as one of the 9 locations to take part in the two-year pilot.

My Department has been supporting the Dublin City Night-Time Economy strategy through the funding of a two-year, full-time Night-Time Advisor and I have also recently approved the extension of all 9 Night-Time Advisor posts until September 2026.

In 2024, my Department provided €192k in funding towards the development and roll out of the Dublin city night-time economy strategy. This year, €80k has been allocated to date to Dublin City Council to support the on-going development and implementation of the Action Plan to drive the Night-Time Economy strategy. It is important to note that the Night-Time Advisors may also identify other potential funding streams which could be accessed for the pilot and which could contribute to a more vibrant Night-Time Economy.

Since the publication of the Report of the Night-Time Economy Taskforce in 2021, my Department has allocated well over €11 million in funding through various grant schemes and initiatives, towards the development of a safe, inclusive and diverse Night-Time Economy right across the country, including Dublin city. I recently launched a €500k Grassroots Music Venue Support Scheme, which will support small established music venues in our towns and cities across the country.

This year, following a competitive tender, we appointed Communiqué International to undertake an independent review of the Night-Time Economy Advisor scheme to advise on potential options for the future of the initiative. The review will also look at the structures involved in supporting the Advisors, the funding levels, the visibility of each in their respective areas and their impact on the Night-Time Economy in their local area.

I look forward to continued collaboration with Dublin City Council in relation to the development of an energised Night-Time Economy across the capital.