Max HeyraudMinister for Culture, Communications, and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan TD, is set to roll out a new national safety training programme aimed at tackling sexual harassment, drink spiking and violence against women.
The ‘Safe & Sound’ initiative will provide free training for staff working in pubs, clubs, festivals and other late-night spaces across nine pilot areas. The programme will run free in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway, Kilkenny, Drogheda, Sligo, Buncrana and Longford—covering staff in pubs, clubs, festivals and other late venues.
Built for frontline workers, the online course delivers short 30-minute modules focused on anti-sexual-harassment practice, bystander intervention, drink-spiking awareness, safeguarding and responding to violence against women and girls.
Beyond training, venues get a suite of 17 policy templates tailored to Irish law and the realities of late-night operations, spanning dispersal management, mental health support, drugs and alcohol, crime-scene preservation and more.
“The initiative supports our efforts to make Ireland’s nightlife safer, more inclusive and more enjoyable for everyone,” O’Donovan said, framing the rollout as a cultural shift that puts safety and respect at the centre of after-dark experiences.
Developed by Nighttime Economy Solutions with Ireland’s nine Night-Time Economy Advisors and funded by the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport, Safe & Sound aims to standardise best practice across the sector while keeping the training lightweight and accessible.
Galway City advisor Kate Howard called the launch “pivotal,” saying the combination of quick training and clear policies gives operators practical tools to act, so staff and audiences can enjoy Ireland’s nightlife with more confidence.
