Nightclubs in garda overtime offer

NIGHTCLUB owners want to stay open until 4am and are offering to pay Garda overtime to have the streets policed late at night.

The Irish Nightclub Owners Association (INIA) says Minister for Justice Michael McDowell’s plan to ban music being played during drinking up time will result in customers leaving clubs earlier and adding to problems on the streets.

The lobby group met with the minister yesterday and urged him make changes to the Intoxicating Liquor Bill which went to the Cabinet for approval yesterday.