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The Journal
5 days ago
- Business
- The Journal
Taoiseach fails to commit to 6am closing time for nightclubs but promises licensing law reform
TAOISEACH MICHEÁL MARTIN has failed to confirm if the government will sign off on 6am closing time for nightclubs. The Programme for Government commits to enacting legislation to update Ireland's licensing laws and promoting the development of a 'modern and diverse night-time economy in harmony with increased town centre living'. However, at the launch of the Dublin City Taskforce roadmap plan to revamp and revitalise the capital, the Taoiseach would not comment on what time he expects nightclubs and pubs will be allowed close at. The previous government committed to allowing nightclubs to open until 6am and pubs to open until 12.30am, stating that the law would be in place before Christmas 2023, but complications with updating the laws significantly delayed the process . Last year, former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, who was an advocate for the law change, cast doubt over whether reforms to late licensing laws would be introduced in the short term. Further hurdles for the legislation became apparent within the Fine Gael party, when pressure was placed on the new party leader Simon Harris to scrap the idea. Advertisement Senior sources told The Journal earlier this year that despite the bill being drafted and ready to go in the Department of Justice, there is no urgency to progressing the legislation. Asked today about changes to Ireland's licensing laws, the Taoiseach said the nature of nightlife in Ireland is changing, stating 'we do legislatively have to accommodate that change'. Taoiseach says it is complex 'It is very complex. When you begin the process of changing licensing laws. It's not simple. I know that from previous experience in government, but it is something we want to do,' he said. Martin said he wants to ensure people can enjoy a night out properly, without people scrambling around trying to get home. 'So in short, it will be progressed. The minister will come back to us with more detail,' he said. When asked if he the previous promise of a 6am close for nightclubs is on the cards, Martin would said he would not get into specifics. 'Certainly the nighttime economy is an important part and we will work with all the stakeholders,' said Martin, who promise the the legislation will be brought forward. Harris said: 'I think the concerns a number of us had in the last government is we need to tease our way through this.' Any change to Ireland's licensing law must be done in an 'integrated manner', he said. Related Reads Laws allowing nightclubs to stay open later put on the long finger by government Andrea Horan: Dancing 'til dawn is a valid human pursuit - let's stop being afraid of the night 'Delighted' ... 'badly needed' - Positive early reaction to late-night club opening change A city that opens later has to have transport later and has to have police on the streets at that time, said the Tánaiste. The 'whole picture in the round' must be considered, he said, stating that it is not solely about the opening hour of a nightclub. 'It's actually about how do people get home safely after they have left the nightclub, what time do the buses run to, what's the taxi service like? What's the police presence like? So when I know Jim O'Callaghan will weigh all this up,' he said. Give Us The Night, a volunteer group of professionals campaigning for changes in Irish nightlife, has said that allowing later opening times will bring new opportunities for performers. It has previously said Ireland's 89 nightclubs should be permitted to serve until 5am, with dancing allowed up to 6am, stating that would not even be in line with the European average, but would be an improvement. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
The Journal
5 days ago
- Business
- The Journal
Government confirms that revised Housing for All plan will be delayed
TAOISEACH MICHEÁL MARTIN has confirmed that the revised Housing for All plan, which was due to be published next month, has been delayed. Asked today during a press conference if September is a more reasonable timeline, he responded: 'Possibly'. 'We're getting on with it,' he added. The revised housing plan will replace the former Housing for All plan (which sets out the country's overall approach to housing) put in place by the last coalition. Martin said today he now wants the National Development Plan (NDP) finalised first. This plan, which sets out the government's infrastructure spending, is expected in late July. Advertisement 'It makes sense in terms of the NDP that we would have a financial allocation for housing in advance of the [Housing for All] plan itself,' the Taoiseach said. Since the general election, the government has come under fierce pressure in terms of its housing targets. Just this month, Housing Minister James Browne said the current annual target of 41,000 new homes in 2025 is 'not realistic'. Last year, the government fell short of its target of approximately 40,000 new homes by about 10,000. Browne admitted that because of this low output for 2024 it will be a 'challenge' to meet this year's target. It is expected that the government will set out revised housing targets for the coming years in the new Housing for All plan. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
The Journal
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Journal
Commemoration service to mark 40th anniversary of Air India disaster taking place in West Cork
TAOISEACH MICHEÁL MARTIN will attend a commemoration today to mark 40 years since the Air India disaster in West Cork. In June 1985, Air India Flight 182 was brought down off the coast of Cork in what was the worst aviation disaster in Irish and Canadian history. Some 329 people were killed, including 29 families, the majority of whom were Canadians of Indian descent. The plane crashed as a result of a terrorist attack, and was the worst aviation act of terrorism until the 11 September attacks. An annual commemoration is held at the Ahakista Memorial in Cork. At the 20th commemoration of the disaster, Paul Martin became the first Canadian prime minister to visit the memorial. On RTÉ's Morning Ireland this morning, retired Irish Navy captain James Robinson spoke about how he and his crew helped to recover some of the bodies from the scene. He told the programme that they were working close to Co Kerry at 8am that morning when they picked up a radio message from Valentia Island that an aircraft had disappeared from radar screens. Advertisement The memorial commemorating the Air India disaster in Ahakista, West Cork. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo 'We straight away, headed towards the scene, not knowing at the time, as we went out there what nature of tragedy had taken place,' Robinson said. He said in the couple of hours it took them to reach the scene, they were preparing to rescue survivors. 'We were taking blankets out of the stores. I recall soup was being put on the stove in the galley, to warm people up. When we got to the scene, we very quickly became aware that we were in the business of recovering bodies and wreckage.' Robinson, who is attending the commemoration this morning, said he and his crew did not feel the impact of what had taken place right away as 'we had a job to do'. It was subsequently that the enormity of what had taken place dawned on us. There was a lot of anger that this devastation could be wrought on so many innocent civilians. 'But also, I felt very great pride in my crew. They were young Irish people who did a remarkable job and asked for nothing in return.' When Taoiseach Micheál Martin offered his condolences to the families of those killed after an Air India plane crashed earlier this month, he drew comparisons between the two tragedies. 'All of us who experienced that had a sense of trauma that people go through when crashes of this kind happen,' he said. The 2025 Air India flight struck a medical college hostel in a residential part of Ahmedabad, killing 241 of the 242 people on board. The sole survivor was Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 40, who said it was 'a miracle' he survived. With reporting from Press Assocation Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
The Journal
17-06-2025
- Politics
- The Journal
Taoiseach tells Ivana Bacik she 'didn't have the courage' to be in Government
TAOISEACH MICHEÁL MARTIN lashed out at Labour leader Ivana Bacik during Leaders' Questions today, telling her she did not 'have the courage' to be in Government. The heated exchange came as the Labour leader accused the Government of 'chaotic decision-making' in relation to rental regulation. Referring to the Government's decision to extend Rent Pressure Zones (RPZs) across the country, Bacik said: 'Of course we support the extension of RPZs across the country, but not a hollowed out version of RPZs that offer no real protections for renters.' In response to her comments, the Taoiseach said the Government's actions will help increase the supply of rental properties. He then claimed that the Labour Party would not make 'difficult decisions' to increase supply. 'You will not support anything that in any way you perceive to be injurious to your electoral base or might cost you a few votes. That's the prism through which you're looking at our housing crisis,' he said. Bacik hit back:'I think anyone watching will be wondering when you're going to take political responsibility for the housing crisis. 'You're the Taoiseach, you're in Government, your party and Fine Gael have effectively governed together for the best part of a decade, and yet you're resorting to throwing critiques of the opposition for not building homes.' The Taoiseach then said that he had 'no difficulty' taking responsibility. 'You're the opposition, you say. You could have been in Government, you could have been a Government. 'You could have been a Government, but you didn't have the courage,' he said. Advertisement 'You and many in your party didn't have the courage,' Martin said, adding that he knows former Labour leader and TD Alan Kelly did want to go into Government, 'to be fair to him'. The Labour Party walked away from Government formation talks in December last year after the general election. At the time, Bacik said it was because the policy gap between her party and Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael was too large. Rental regulation Leaders' questions in the Dáil today focused on the Government's proposed changes to how the rental sector in Ireland is regulated. Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald accused the Government of implementing changes that will lead to rent hikes for tenants. She said the changes will be a 'blueprint to boost the profit of the big boys and to screw over renters'. 'That's your plan, and you do this during a persistent cost-of-living crisis, when people are hit with price hikes right across the board. Over the last four years, the cost of the weekly shop has skyrocketed by €3000 a year for many, many families,' she said. Likewise, Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore used her slot to criticise the Government's changes to rental regulation. 'You've been planning these rental reforms for months, and yet you made an absolute hames of them last week. Even your own Cabinet colleagues couldn't make sense of them,' she said. 'For the avoidance of any doubt, there was one simple thing that these reforms were to do, and that was to drive rents higher,' Whitmore said. Defending the changes, the Taoiseach said reforms will enhance protection for renters and highlighted the fact that every existing tenant will have their rents capped at 2% once the emergency legislation to extend the RPZs is passed later this week. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
The Journal
12-06-2025
- Business
- The Journal
Taoiseach to attend cross-border business conference today with US trade wars looming
TAOISEACH MICHEÁL MARTIN will meet business leaders from north and south of the border at a conference taking place against the backdrop of economic uncertainty driven by US trade and tariff policies. Martin will address the Joint Business Council All-island Business Conference in Dundalk today. The conference is centred around protecting all-island business in a new global environment, with heightened geopolitical disruption. The event will bring together more than 150 business leaders, stakeholders and public policymakers to focus on the 'interconnected and cost-effective ways that businesses operate on an all-island basis'. The conference is jointly held by businesses representative groups the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and the Irish Business and Employers Confederation (Ibec). Advertisement They said businesses across the island are eager to see aligned policy support from both the UK and Irish governments that unlocks economic opportunities and broadens the benefits of cross-border cooperation. According to Ibec and the CBI, more must be done to strengthen and future-proof the all-island economy by enhancing collaboration around trade, infrastructure, sustainability, workforce integration, private investment and long-term resilience. Danny McCoy, CEO of Ibec, said: 'The restoration of the North-South Ministerial Council has cleared the way for improved cooperation across the island. 'However, the rise in global uncertainty stemming from US trade and tariff policies and growing geopolitical disruption means the all-island economy must focus on building resilience and deepening collaboration.' Rain Newton-Smith, chief executive of the CBI, said the conference comes at a critical time for businesses across Northern Ireland, Britain and the EU. She added: 'The disruptive impact of tariffs, tax retaliation, and a changing global order has only reinforced the urgent need to strengthen cross-border economic ties on the island of Ireland. 'In the current climate, policy stability and certainty are not optional but are prerequisites for investment in sectors that matter most to both of our economies, from manufacturing and agri-food to life sciences.
