Cormac Devlin
Question:32. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she will provide an update on plans to develop a night-time economy. [47461/21]
View answerTuesday, 5 October 2021
Questions (32, 56, 57, 64, 71)
Christopher O'Sullivan
Question:56. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media her plans to provide supports to assist the cost burden of nightclubs reopening; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47932/21]
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James O'Connor
Question:57. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media her plans to progress the report and recommendations of the Night-time Economy Taskforce; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47928/21]
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Alan Dillon
Question:64. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the progress being made on revitalising the night-time economy; if she will report on the taskforce to unlock the potential this sector will bring to town and village centres; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47939/21]
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Ruairí Ó Murchú
Question:71. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she will report on the recent pilot nightclub event; the details of recent engagements with the Night-time Economy Taskforce on the recommendations listed within its report (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47886/21]
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 32, 56, 57, 64 and 71 together.
The Night-time Economy is a hugely important sector, contributing to our economy and our cultural and creative sectors and it is important that we protect, support and sustain it – particularly as we begin to emerge out of this pandemic and we start to think about how and where we socialise and how we plan our city and town centres.
I published the Report of the Night-Time Economy Taskforce earlier this month. The Report contained 36 practical recommendations in the area of regulation, licensing, planning, transport, safety and increasing the diversity of activities as part of the night-time offering. The Report also suggests practical solutions to help cities, towns and villages which have already faced multiple challenges, find and develop new opportunities including, for example, the pilot initiative to establish new "Night-Time Advisors" in six cities and towns to develop new Night-Time Economy opportunities.
Work is ongoing to implement the actions in the Report and I was delighted to support a series of late night events across the country as part of Culture Night recently on foot of the Taskforce recommendation in this area. I will continue to work with colleagues across Government to implement the actions in this Report to help support and drive the sector forward.
The electronic music and night-club sector is an integral part of the Night-Time Economy and culture and has been one of the hardest hit during this pandemic. I was delighted to support last week's pilot night-club event in The Button Factory in Temple Bar. I hope that the learnings from this will help the sector as we head towards a full easing of restrictions in October, subject to ongoing public health advice. A range of supports and measures from my Department and across other Departments have already been established for hard hit sectors including the arts and creative sectors and the tourism sectors and I will continue to engage with the night-club sector in this context.