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Leo Varadkar said that tourists and locals have described Ireland\u2019s nightlife as \u201cdisappointing\u201d.<\/p>\nLeo Varadkar said that tourists and locals have described Ireland\u2019s nightlife as \u201cdisappointing\u201d.<\/p>\n
The Fine Gael leader said that allowing pubs and nightclubs to stay open for longer would be better for transport, as it avoids large crowds searching for taxis at the same time and reduces public order concern.<\/p>\n
Changes to Ireland\u2019s licensing laws are to be reviewed next year, which could see pubs staying open later.<\/p>\n
Mr Varadkar said that while he is open to reforming the licensing laws, he does not believe the same laws need to be enforced around Ireland, particularly in suburban and rural areas.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think we do need to have to create local control around licensing laws,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople who come to Dublin and come to other cities, and people who go abroad from Ireland, do say that our nightlife is \u2026 can be disappointing and that premises shut down too early.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s very different in Madrid or Germany or other places where places stay open all night and it doesn\u2019t lead to an increase in public order offences.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt would actually be better in terms of transport because instead of everyone rushing out looking for taxis at the same time, that\u2019s spread out over a longer period of time.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s an area that I think we need to change.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said that Minister for Culture Josepha Madigan is considering the idea of authorities appointing \u201cnight mayors\u201d in a bid to reinvigorate the nightlife, which \u201cshouldn\u2019t be all about drink\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of the weird things that the laws we have at the moment is that licensed premises \u2013 even if they stopped serving alcohol \u2013 can\u2019t stay open. Maybe places still want to stay open and people want to dance but they are not allowed to.<\/p>\n
\u201cOnce you stop serving drink, you have to close within half an hour or an hour, so they are really archaic.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think we can do better for people who enjoy the nightlife.\u201d<\/p>\n