Under new licensing laws being considered by the cabinet today, pubs will have the option to open from 10.30 until 00.30 seven days a week. Additionally, nightclubs will be allowed to open until 06.00.

The news comes as part of the general scheme of the sale of Alcohol Bill, which will be brought to cabinet by Minister for Justice Helen McEntee. Currently, Sunday sales in pubs are restricted from the hours of 12.30 to 23.00 while it’s largely 10.30 to 22.30 Monday to Thursday. According to the Irish Times, it is believed that the plans will recommend standardising opening hours for pubs across the week. Meanwhile, the opening hours for late bars will remain the same – 02.30. As such, a new late-bar permit will be required, subject to strict conditions.

It’s expected that Minister McEntee will ask that the cabinet change Ireland’s laws to give nightclubs the option to remain open until 06.00. Alcohol will be served until 05.00 but music and dancing can continue until the 06.00 closing time. It’s expected that a special license would be required to stay open to 06.00 and only a few larger venues would apply for it. This would bring Ireland in line with its other European counterparts.

In other European countries, nightclubs remain open until 06.00. It stops the bottleneck of punters trying to get in and out of clubs during a very small window and subsequently reduces pressure on taxis amongst other mooted benefits.

The laws are expected to come into place in 2023.

It comes after years of campaigning from the likes of Free The Night in light of Ireland’s archaic licensing laws. At the moment, clubs across the Republic must close by 02.30.

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