Irish Nightclub Petition

[Sunil]

Sorry to hijack this forum, but it's important!! Irish heads please read carefully, if you're not Irish then you can still read anyway ;)

Hi people,

As some of you may be aware this is a serious week for Nightclubs in Ireland. Reports in the Sunday Independent today have told of the Gardai's plans to have the closing times of nightclubs reduced to 1.30 a.m. It seems they are going to court with the proposal on Wednesday, and if passed will obviously mean very bad news for the clubscene here. Here is the link to an online petition, the only substantial method of protest we've been able to muster with it being a Sunday: http://www.petitiononline.com/night269/petition.html

Many of you will be familiar with the whole situation here but for those of you who are not:

The Gardai's issue with the official closing times (currently 2.30 a.m., sometimes a little later) is that more drink related public order offences occur the later clubs leave their doors open; a theory which has yet to be substantiated in any way. Last year the government moved the times back from 3 a.m. to 2.30 a.m., so if published figures from the last year that detail a 2.65 BN euro government cost for "drink related problems" are to be believed, then their 30 minute cutback could most easily have contributed to the problem rather than have helped it. It's no secret either, that the Gardai would rather not have to police the streets at night as much as they are currently required to (maybe there are too few of them deployed to the streets, who knows?) and earlier closing times for clubs will, they think, make everyone's life a lot easier.

It's obvious that this new introduction will cripple the clubscene here; pubs and clubs have already been badly affected by the smoking ban, and this current proposal will be another nail in the coffin if it's passed.

Anyway, the finer details could be discussed for ages and I don't want to bore you!
If you are against the Garda proposal please go to: http://www.petitiononline.com/night269/petition.html
Likewise if you are unsure, just go there anyway and make up your mind. If you can forward it to anyone who you think would be interested then please do, likewise any related messageboards/forums or the like that may take an interest please pass it on.

This is only one cog in the wheel for how we aim to fight the proposal, but it is a worthwhile step to take regardless of its ultimate impact.

Respect to anyone that does check out the link, and thanks for reading this far.

Cheers,

Sunil

[messyfuture]

Signed!!

[dan the acid man]

signed, i also think everybody need's to sign this

[Esox Lucius]

signed.

[FILTERZ]

does it matter that i live in London,it says on the form that you should be a resident of Ireland to be eligible :?:

[dan the acid man]

well i just signed it, what about if your visiting ireland for a night out

[Esox Lucius]

I have an Irish passport if that's any help :lol:

[Kerberos]

does it matter that i live in London,it says on the form that you should be a resident of Ireland to be eligible :?:

Well, why would'nt they bring it in, in Britain also, there's talk of bringing in a smoking ban in Britain so why not this aswell!!

[Sunil]

Thanks a lot guys. Re: Resident of Ireland thing, hmmm, that was just the way I worded it, maybe should have left it open but on one hand it is meant to be an Irish vote or whatever. I don't think it'd do any harm if you're in the Uk, have been over here for a weekend or have an Irish passport! Go raibh maith agait :clap:

[G-whizz]

done mate !

[Bas Mooy]

signed!!!

[Esox Lucius]

Thanks a lot guys. Re: Resident of Ireland thing, hmmm, that was just the way I worded it, maybe should have left it open but on one hand it is meant to be an Irish vote or whatever. I don't think it'd do any harm if you're in the Uk, have been over here for a weekend or have an Irish passport! Go raibh maith agait :clap:

no need to thank us ;)

[Yoshimitsu]

done

[darkmockeray]

SIGNED....

IM FINDIN IT VERY HARD TO SEE THE LOGIC BEHIND THIS..........
CLOSIN CLUBS AROUND THE SAME TIME AS PUBS IS GONNA CAUSE THE STREETS TO BE FLUDDED WITH ROUDY UNSATISFIED PUB/CLUB GOERS -IT WILL BE ABSOLUTE MAYHEM. NOT TO MENTION TRY9IN TO GET A TAXI OR BUS........

IF ANTHING THEY SHOULD BE OPENED LONGER - MEANING THAT PEOPLE WILL GRADUALLY LEAVE THE CLUBS AS THEY GET TIRED AND WANT TO GO HOME, THIS WORKS IN ALL THE OTHER EUOPEAN CITIES SO WHY NOT IN IRELAND!!!!

[darkmockeray]

ANYONE WHO THINKS THEYLL EVER COME TO IRELAND AND GO OUT SHOULD SIGN THIS........... THANX

WELL DONE SUNIL :clap: HOPEFULLY WE CAN FIGHT THIS...........

[dairel]

Done. its up to 8000 people now. when i signed it yesterday morning only 150 had signed.

Daire

[Daire]

Signed...

Good idea Sunil :clap:

[Sunil]

Thanks guys, we are now online at http://www.giveusthenight.com for those that are interested.

[tioneb]

Ill sign tonite back at home. Ireleand stays one of best djing experiences.

But hey thats the only country where ive seen such serious drinking problem, and i call this a problem though i am a real drunkard in parties.

Closing clubs earlier wont change it, agreed.[/b]

[H3lx]

well, looks like we won!

Irish Times
No Garda objections to city-centre late licences
Carl O'Brien

Nightclub owners yesterday claimed that gardaÃ* appeared to have
abandoned plans to object to the granting of late licences for
premises in Dublin city centre.

A number of late licences and dance licences for pubs and nightclubs
were yesterday granted by Dublin District Court; applications for
city-centre nightclubs are due to be heard before the court today and
tomorrow.

The Garda yesterday declined to comment on whether it would lodge any
objections to the licences, while one source said matters were still
under consideration.

Senior members of the force in Dublin met last week to consider
public-order issues arising from late-night drinking and reportedly
decided to lodge objections when the cases came up this week. If
successful, the move would force some nightclubs to close at 1.30 a.m.

Mr Robbie Fox, a spokesman for the Irish Nightclub Industry
Association, said objections later this week were not expected.

"It's great news, it means our industry is saved," Mr Fox
said. "There was a huge public outcry to these plans. We'll continue
doing what we have been doing. If anything, we're looking to extend
the licensing hours, not restrict them."

A spokeswoman for the Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, declined to
comment except to say it was a matter for the Garda to object to
licence applications.

However, in a move which some industry sources saw as significant,
the Minister said in a radio interview yesterday that licensing
legislation did not provide for blanket objections and each case
would have to be considered on its own merits.

Nightclubs operate under normal licensing laws for pubs, but have to
regularly seek special exemption orders to allow them to stay open
later. Dance licences are also reviewed annually and a number of
nightclubs are due to have their applications heard before the court
this week.

The Irish Nightclub Industry Association had argued that the Garda
plans had little to do with tackling public-order offences, and had
more to do with lack of Garda resources.

Mr Fox said forcing nightclubs to close at 1.30 a.m. would have
resulted in 30,000 drinkers being let out on to Dublin's streets at
the same time, creating the potential for even bigger public order
problems.

Reports of the Garda's plans sparked an internet-based campaign. The
website, www.giveusthenight.com, had received more than 10,000
signatures yesterday