LEGISLATION ALLOWING FOR nightclubs to open until 6am and pubs to open until 12.30am is “unlikely” to be ready by the summer, Taoiseach Simon Harris has confirmed to The Journal. 

Speaking in Brussels this morning, where he is attending the second day of the special EU Council meeting, Harris expressed skepticism about meeting the summer deadline for legislation, citing the need for careful consideration and avoiding unintended consequences.

“I personally think that’s unlikely, but that would be a matter for me to work through with Minister McEntee,” he said, further indicating that this legislation might never come to fruition under this government.

In November, the justice minister had said she hoped to get the new laws enacted by summer 2024. However, since then, there has been significant pushback against the change, with a number of Fine Gael backbenchers raising concerns. 

The Chief Medical Officer and the Road Safety Authority have also raised concerns about the new law. 

Summer deadline

The Government had promised late night pub and club openings would be in operation by summer 2023, before pushing the legislation out to Christmas of that year. McEntee then indicated that the legislation might be ready by this summer. 

Harris said there is “a lot of good things” in the legislation, stating that Ireland’s licensing laws are complex and it makes sense to try and streamline them. He said that would be good for businesses and would give certainty for people working in the nighttime economy.

“There’s quite a significant view out there there’s a lot more Ireland needs to do in relation to this from both the tourism offering and indeed for young people in the country.

“However, there is a however. I think it would be very irresponsible of me to just gloss over the views of the Road Safety Authority and I have no intention of doing that,” he said.

Harris said he met with the Road Safety Authority this week over the fact that there has been 63 deaths on our roads so far this year, with half of them being under the age of 30.

Related Reads

Revised law allowing night clubs open later going to Cabinet this month with summer 2024 target

Legislation allowing nightclubs stay open later to be split in two to ensure law ready by summer 2024

McEntee acknowledges public 'frustration' over delay in extending pub and club opening hours

A number of actions were agreed, such as immediately ramping up education and public awareness campaigns.

“So I do want to talk to the Road Safety Authority in relation to their view, but I don’t want to do anything that would have any unintended consequences. But I see merit in the legislation. But I also see merit in just taking a brief period of time here to get it right and to listen,” he said.

The Journal asked the Taoiseach to outline when the last time he was in a nightclub. Laughing, he said:

Sadly, I can’t say when I was last in a nightclub, because I can’t recall – but quite a long time ago I think.

The idea of later opening hours for nightclubs was first floated by Varadkar back in 2019, when he told The Journal that he believed the laws needed to be reformed and brought more in line with other cities in Europe.