“Support small businesses” says Fine Gael TD… unless that includes pubs and nightclubs.

On Sunday, 70 year old Backbench Fine Gael TD Michael Ring went onto RTÉ’s Radio One program and called for the government to scrap the proposed late-night licensing laws which have been in the works for the past couple of years. Well, at least – that’s what he seemed to think he was doing. What Ring actually called for was for the government to drop “this daft idea of opening pubs all night”. This is not part of the The General Scheme of the Sale of Alcohol Bill, it never has been. That is, unless Ring views the end of the night as 12.30am (which, in all fairness, is entirely likely.) The new proposed legislation would not result in pubs opening all night, they would simply have the option to open until 12.30am, 7 nights a week. The new laws would also allow nightclubs to serve alcohol until 5am.

In a statement to The Journal, founder of Give Us The Night, Sunil Sharpe, challenged Ring’s statements – and pointed out how he, simply, has the facts wrong. Sharpe went on to say “the majority won’t open this late or have the business or staff needed to open late, but operators would like the option and to see where the future brings them. Over time, they will find their sweet spot.” 

Despite Ring’s blatant lack of understanding on the matter, his comments speak to the government’s wider failure on the issue of nightlife. The Government had previously promised this would happen by summer 2023 – this promise was broken. It’s currently uncertain as to whether promises will be broken again as the target of summer 2024 draws closer, and misinformed commentary, like Ring’s, grows louder.

When asked what the government should be doing instead of this ‘nonsense’, Ring was full of ideas. A return to Fine Gael’s “core values” was mentioned, and specifically mentioned that that party should focus on a noble cause: “supporting small businesses”. We wonder if Ring is aware of what exactly a small business is? Well, according to The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, a small business has fewer than 50 employees, with an annual turnover of less than €10 million. This, by definition, makes the majority of Ireland’s shrinking nightclubs small businesses. This isn’t about support: this is about the government deliberately dragging their feet through the mud, on reforms they know will help Irish nightlife.

According to our nightlife survey last year, 92% of people are in favour of updating Ireland’s licensing laws. The changes, if brought into effect, will allow Ireland to take a step towards the European standard, and open up a vast array of opportunities for punters, promoters and performers alike. More young Irish people than ever are emigrating to countries with better opportunities and better nightlife, perhaps if the government tackled the problem at home and politicians, crucially, read up on the reform they are publicly criticising – then maybe we’d have an Ireland that people don’t want to leave.

Elsewhere on District: This is the Most Critical Point for Nightlife in Irish History