Night Life

Later closing times for pubs and clubs won’t be in place this year, Varadkar says

Changes to alcohol licensing laws, which would see opening hours of clubs extended to 6am, were meant to be introduced this summer

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar: “I can say, it would not be the case that those laws will be in place for this Christmas, but I would hope they can be in place for next summer.” Picture: Tom Honan/RollingNews.ie

Later closing times for pubs and nightclubs will not be in place by the end of the year, the Taoiseach has said.

The government has committed to extending the opening hours of clubs to 6am and pubs to 12.30am under changed alcohol licensing laws.

Helen McEntee, the Minister for Justice brought proposals to cabinet last October to reform of Ireland’s licensing laws and for those changes to be in place this summer. However, the Taoiseach ...