The welfare spaces are expected to be in place by the end of the year.

Areas for party-goers to get help on nights out could be established in Dublin city centre by the end of the year. This initiative is spearheaded by Ray O’Donoghue, Dublin’s newly appointed night-time economy advisor, as part of a broader effort to rejuvenate the city’s nightlife scene.

The concept, successfully trialed during Culture Night, aims to create secure environments staffed by medics, security personnel, and welfare officers. Speaking to Newstalk, O’Donoghue explained, “They’re essentially areas where people can go if they’ve had too much to drink, experienced a bad night, or need a safe space. These zones offer immediate support in a secure setting.”

O’Donoghue has also highlighted plans to address late-night transportation issues; a longstanding concern for the city’s party goers. In the interview with Newstalk, he mentioned ongoing discussions with transport authorities about extending Luas tram services into the early hours. These extensions, he explained, could operate selectively, focusing on specific nights or weekends tied to large-scale events or high-demand periods, potentially covering 10 to 20 weekends annually, “or something along those lines”.

The potential introduction of safe-zones and extended transport services comes amid wider discussions about balancing safety with nightlife growth. Advocates highlight that these measures not only offer essential support for party-goers but also signal a commitment to nurturing a nightlife culture that is both vibrant and secure. However, similar nightlife-focused initiatives have been proposed before, only to be delayed or abandoned altogether. This history of unfulfilled promises raises questions about whether this much-needed modernisation will genuinely materialise. Will these plans mark a turning point for Dublin’s nightlife, or will they become yet another example of political rhetoric without action? Only time will tell if this much-needed modernisation will materialise, or remain an exercise in empty words.

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