Nightclub owners face fines of €5,000 or closure under new Covid-19 regulations

Nightclub owners who fail to comply with Covid-19 regulations could be fined up to €2,500 for a first offence under new legislation which has come into effect.

Compliance officers from the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) and the Health Service Executive (HSE) will monitor nightclubs to ensure that they follow new regulations.

The requirement for electronic ticketing where the ticket must be purchased or acquired at least one hour before attendance at the event remains in place despite protests from the sector that this is an unworkable arrangement.

Under the reopening plan people attending nightclubs, late bars and venues must use a Covid-19 pass and photo ID to gain entry.

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The document entitled Updated Guidelines – Nightlife & Entertainment says “compliance with this is a matter for all of us, and where a pass is not looked for, patrons and participants should ask why not.”

The rules apply to premises that have late licences and have live entertainment such as a DJ or band and dance floors.

While opening times are now back to normal under the new rules, the events must be ticketed from Friday onwards to facilitate contact tracing.

Nightclub patrons may only approach the bar to order, pay for or collect food and drinks, and must keep a metre distance in the queue. A nightclub employee must supervise the queue.

The amending regulations to the Health Act 1947 were only signed by the Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly late on Thursday night with them coming to force on early on Friday morning.

Offences under the “indoor hospitality” regulations are liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding €2,500.

If a cessation order is granted and the nightclub owner fails to comply, they could be subjected to a fine of up to €5,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months, or both.

All documentation and records should be made available to the compliance officer on request.

Failure to do so could result in closure and or prosecution under the Act.

Details of nightclub attendees must be kept for 28 days to facilitate contact tracing and destroyed after that.