St Patrick’s Day is almost upon us and both locals and tourists will be descending on the streets of Ireland to celebrate.
Ahead of the occasion, gardai have confirmed they will be enforcing restrictions on the sale of alcohol in Dublin city centre.
No off-licences, including supermarket off-licences, can sell alcohol in an area from Parnell Square to St Stephen’s Green until 4pm on Friday.
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Alcohol can be sold in off-licences from 10.30am Monday to Saturday, but that changes to 12.30pm on Sunday’s and St Patrick’s Day.
It comes as pubs have confirmed that they will be operating as normal on St Patrick’s Day.
Pubs will be allowed to stay open until 12.30am on Friday night, while nightclubs and late bars can serve alcohol until 2.30am. Punters will then have 30 minutes to sup up.
Here are the times Ireland’s pubs are allowed to open.
- Monday to Thursday from 10:30am to 11:30pm
- Friday and Saturday from 10:30am to 12:30am
- Sunday from 12:30pm to 11:00pm
In an update, the Licensed Vintners Association confirmed that Dublin pubs will operate their full permitted trading hours on St Patrick’s Day.
A spokesperson said: “The Licensed Vintners Association would like to clarify that all pubs in Dublin City Centre will be open for the full permitted trading hours on St. Patrick’s Day – 12.30pm to 12.30am.
“We are really looking forward to welcoming our customers, both locals and tourists alike, to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with us.”
Meanwhile, gardai have confirmed details of their St Patrick's Day policing operation in Dublin.
Assistant Garda Commissioner Angela Willis, said: “An Garda Síochána will be implementing a significant policing operation across the Dublin Region on St Patrick’s Day and over the festival weekend to make sure that those attending the various events are able to enjoy themselves and feel safe.
"We expect significant numbers of people to attend the St Patrick’s Day Parade in the city center and also many other events that will be happening across the city. We will be working alongside our emergency service partners and others to make the festival safe and enjoyable for all.
"Our policing plan extends across the transport networks and we expect that there will be significant demands on public transport. The festival and parade is family friendly and you can expect high visibility policing. Gardaí are here to help and provide assistance;
"You can do your part by arriving early and following the instructions of Gardaí and Stewards; An Garda Síochána will be enforcing restrictions on alcohol to keep public realms safe; We want everyone to have a great time with family and friends and we will be making safety a priority. The city centre, in particular, will be busy and we remind everyone to remain vigilant when out and about; look after your family, your friends and your property.”
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