Paul Lawless (Mayo, Aontú)
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39. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment for an update on the progress of the night-time economy policy, including the opening of new night-time cultural venues; and the supports available to workers in the sector. [52507/25]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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Since the publication of the Report of the Night-Time Economy Taskforce, the Night-Time Economy Implementation Group has been examining the challenges facing the development of a vibrant night time culture and economy such as regulations, transport, and diversity of cultural activities with the aim of identifying solutions and new opportunities for the sector to develop.

One of the most impactful actions in the Report was the establishment of nine Night-Time Economy pilots in towns and cities around the country, namely Dublin City, Cork City, Galway City, Kilkenny, Limerick City, Drogheda, Sligo, Longford and Buncrana. The aim of the initiative is to stimulate night-time activity in a particular area supported by a full-time Night-Time Economy Advisor.

My Department has provided funding for a two-year full-time Night-Time Advisor in each of the selected locations and I have previously confirmed funding for these posts until September 2026. I have also put in place a significant funding package with seed funding of €50k per Advisor (€75k for Dublin).

My Department continues to support venues operating in the night-time economy and earlier this year, I launched the Grassroots Music Venue Support Scheme. This scheme supports independent established music venues that are known in the community for programming grassroots music artists. The Scheme operated with a total fund of €500,000 and grants were available of up to €15,000 to host events showcasing the talent of emerging, grassroots artists performing live music they have written or created themselves. 34 venues across the country have been awarded funding through this scheme.

A Night-Time Economy safety initiative called “Safe & Sound” recently launched and is designed to make nightlife safer, more inclusive, and more enjoyable for everyone.

Nine Night-Time Economy pilot locations, including Galway, will have free year-long access to this practical training. The initiative focuses on enhancing the safety of both customers and workers by equipping staff with the tools to identify vulnerable individuals and prevent harm.

Developed by Night-Time Economy Solutions (NTES) and led by the nine Night-Time Economy Advisors, the training provides workers with increased awareness of their responsibilities and duty of care. The online platform includes several, 30-minute modules on critical topics:

• Anti-Sexual Harassment: Preventing and addressing harassment in nightlife settings.
• Bystander Intervention: Empowering safe intervention and support.
• Drink Spiking Awareness: Prevention and response strategies.
• Safeguarding and Vulnerability: Supporting vulnerable individuals.
• Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG): Understanding and addressing gender-based violence.