Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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258. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment for an update on progress made to date and the plans for the future for the expansion of the night-time economy action plan for Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53483/25]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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My Department is supporting the delivery of the Dublin City Night-Time Economy action plan primarily through the funding of a two-year, full-time Night-Time Advisor post. This post is part of a national network of 9 advisors (Dublin City, Cork City, Limerick City, Galway City, Kilkenny, Sligo, Longford, Buncrana and Drogheda) and each is tasked with delivering and Night-Time Economy action plan for their location. This year I approved the funding for all 9 Night-Time Advisor posts until September 2026.

In addition, my Department has also provided just over €272k in seed funding to date, towards the roll out of Dublin's action plan including support for initiatives such as Culture Night Late, Brigit Late, St Patrick’s Festival After Dark, Comedy Culture in the Capital and a safety campaign which includes free online vulnerability and safeguard training for venues and businesses at night. With funding support from the Department of Justice, Dublin City Council also launched the ‘Nee-Naw’ van this year. This safety initiative was developed by the Night-Time Advisor to provide support to people who may need help on a night out and forms part of the Dublin Night Time Economy strategy.

The Night-Time Economy Advisor pilots are a significant project within the Night-Time Economy policy area, both in Dublin and across the country.

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, and make recommendations about the future roll-out of this initiative.

This review of the pilots has now concluded and we are currently undertaking a consultation exercise with the County and City Management Association and the wider Night-Time Economy Implementation Group in relation to these recommendation.

We will continue to collaborate with Dublin City Council in relation to the development of an energised Night-Time Economy across the capital.