Night-time economy

City councils and tourism authorities like to talk about what they call the “night-time economy”, by which they mean businesses that supply alcohol, food, and entertainment in pubs, restaurants, and nightclubs.

It plays an important part in the life of a developed nation, which is why it’s an aspect of Cork highlighted, rightly, by Tourism Ireland: “Cork is a bustling collection of cool coffee shops, vibrant art galleries, unusual museums, and seriously good pubs.”

The evening economy, however, can have a downside, described this week by a judge at the Circuit Criminal Court in Cork.

“It is,” he said, “the bitter experience of this court — the carrying-on outside nightclubs after 10 pints and eight shots. It is normal now to have three times the amount of drink that was customary 10 years ago. The presence of strong alcoholic shots makes going out at night really dangerous.”

A consequence, he added, can be “gratuitous violence” that can cost lives.

While of course it is not a social problem unique to Cork or Ireland, it is one that cannot be overlooked.

For many — especially the young — the night-time economy is a licence for excessive drinking.

Numerous recent studies have underlined the booze challenge this country faces: Binge drinking is prevalent among 39% of adult drinkers; alcohol is the cause of three deaths a day in Ireland, according to a 2016 report by the Health Research Board; and almost two thirds of 18 to 24-year -old drinkers have six or more drinks on a typical night out.

Last year’s Public Health (Alcohol) Act, with measures including minimum unit pricing, advertising restrictions, and label warnings, was a welcome reform that may in time help reduce the damage inflicted by binge drinking, but more must be done to make the night-time economy safer.