Legislation to extend bar and nightclub opening hours is set to be published "in the coming weeks", the Justice Minister has said.
The Sale of Alcohol Bill proposes to increase trading hours of all bars and restaurants from 11.30pm to 12.30am and facilitate late-night opening of bars to 2.30am.
Nightclub hours could also be extended to 6am as part of the changes.
The updating of licensing laws is part of the Programme for Government and was also a central recommendation contained within the 'Report of the Night-Time Economy Taskforce'.
Speaking ahead of the first Cabinet meeting after the summer break, Justice Minister Helen McEntee said it is one of her legislative priorities.
"When it comes to legislation I've a lot on the agenda for this upcoming term," she said.
"I hope to finalise and to get through all stages of the Family Courts Bill - this is a really important change to our overall family courts structure.
"I'll be hoping to progress the Hate Speech and Hate Crime legislation as well.
"I hope to publish the Sale of Alcohol Bill as well in the coming weeks."
Opening hours
Minister McEntee has previously dismissed suggestions that the Sale of Alcohol legislation would see nightclubs "in every town and village" open until 6am.
"The intention of this proposed legislation is to have a yearly licence for such businesses that operate, for example, late licences and must regularly go to the courts to say they are having special events, " she said in February.
"In reality, these are late bars that operate every night they are open."
Minister McEntee said the legislation will "streamline the process to make it more cost efficient and to allow certain nightclubs that have to adhere to very strict criteria to open a little bit later.
"This is because we do not have this type of offering for people now," she added.
Young people dancing and having fun in the Tramline nightclub in Dublin, 7-12-21. Image: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNewsA report late last year on the Bill made a number of recommendations including that consideration be given to introducing a separate type of venue licence for use by dance venues and operators instead of a seven-day publican’s licence.
It said that pubs, late bars and nightclubs should still be able to avail of late opening through a seven-day publican’s licence if they so choose.
The committee also recommended that venues that are already permitted to operate during night-time hours and where alcohol is not being served could be given a form of 'dry licence' as a complementary measure to the proposals within this legislation.
Additional reporting: Stephanie Rohan
