Eoghan Kenny (Cork North-Central, Labour)
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70. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the engagement he has had with a campaign group (details supplied) with regard to the ongoing independent review of the night-time economy pilots; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37958/25]

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 and as part of the Department's key role in driving the Night-Time Economy in Ireland, we are funding 9 NTE Advisors in Dublin City, Cork City, Limerick City, Galway City, Kilkenny, Sligo, Longford, Buncrana and Drogheda.

The Night-Time Economy (NTE) pilots are a significant project within the Night-Time Economy policy area and arguably one of the most impactful. The Advisors are helping to drive and support a more sustainable Night-Time Economy in their local areas.

In 2022 a Night-Time Economy Implementation Group was established to oversee the progress of the actions contained in the Report of the Night-Time Economy Taskforce, to address any current challenges and also to develop new ideas and thinking in the NTE. Give Us the Night are active members of that group and the group meets approximately four times a year. I recently met with the Implementation Group and this gave me an opportunity to meet and discuss the Night-Time Economy with Give Us the Night. In addition, my officials regularly meet with Give us the Night on all aspects of the Night-Time Economy.

In 2024, a review of the original NTE report comprising 36 actions were undertaken by the NTE Implementation Group to assess overall progress, and to scrutinise areas which needed a renewed focus. Give Us the Night ran a series of workshops across the country to examine the needs of stakeholders in the Night-Time Economy and this work fed into the revised list of actions. One of the refocused actions included a review of the NTE Pilot Project to date, sharing the research and making recommendations to put initiatives on a more sustainable, long-term footing.

Following a competitive tendering process in 2024, Communiqué International were appointed to conduct a review of the 9 Night-Time Economy pilots, to look critically at the structures involved in supporting the Advisors, the visibility and impact of each in their respective areas, the future roll-out of the pilots and whether a further roll-out is warranted and what needs to be put in place to make this model effective. As part of this review process, Communiqué International met with Give Us the Night who contributed on many issues relating to Ireland’s night-time economy.