Anyone who has an interest in nightlife, our live music and venue economy – be it punter, DJ, promoter, musician, engineer, owner or publican should be aware that the Irish government are currently taking submissions from the public about reforming the alcohol licensing system in Ireland, until this coming Friday January 21st.
The Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee seems to recognise that the law needs to be modernised and there is an Open Consultation on the Review of Alcohol Licensing available to all members of the public to have their say. This week is the final week to get engaged.
To help encourage us to participate in members of the public having a say in the modernisation of the licensing law relating to the sale of alcohol, we enlisted the help of Sunil Sharpe and Robbie Kitt of The Give Us The Night Campaign, who have long campaigned for progressive change and flexibility when it comes to Ireland’s licensing laws.
Ireland’s venue and event licensing is tied to its alcohol licensing, and attached to archaic laws like the 1935 Public Dancehall Act and a Licensing Law that dates back to 1833. This needs to change, along with bureaucratic systems that require Special Exemption orders of €410 for every night that a venue opens late, for example. Later opening hours are on the cards, as are the possibility of new types of licences that could be used by theatres, art galleries and cultural spaces.
Sunil and Robbie tell us why participating in the Open Consultation on the Review of Alcohol Licensing is important.
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Previously relevant podcasts on the topic:
Podcast Special: Give Us The Night – The future of Irish nightlife
Robbie Kitt on clubbing as culture & the politics of the everyday
