'Nee-Naw' service to help Dublin revellers feeling unwell
Known as the 'Nee-Naw' van, the Dublin Nights Help Zone has been launched by Dublin City Council, supported by the Department of Justice, as a late-night welfare initiative.
'Nee-Naw' will operate as a mobile unit stationed on Camden Street, running every Friday and Saturday night from 10pm to 3am, starting 4 July, for a 6 to 8-week pilot period.
It will be staffed by a team which will include a medic, a welfare officer, two trained security personnel, and a site operator.
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Speaking on RTÉ's News at One programme, Dublin's Night-Time Economy Advisor, Ray O'Donoghue, said that the 'Nee-Naw' should take pressure off emergency services.
"The name is light-hearted, but the mission is very serious, and it's about keeping people safe," Mr O'Donoghue said.
"It's for nighttime economy users who may have lost their belongings, they may have lost their friends, they may just not feel safe, but they don't want to use emergency services.
"It's kind of a gap between venues and those emergency services."
Mr O'Donoghue said that the aim of the friendly name is to appeal to people on nights out in the city centre.
The service will operate on Camden Street on Fridays and Saturdays for a 6 to 8-week trial period
"We won't judge; there's no guards involved but the guards are there to support us; it's a non-judgemental, friendly place."
He added that the plan is to roll out 'Nee-Naws' across the country.
"Camden Street is one of the busiest streets in the city and it'll give us a chance to monitor the area as well, and it's not going to be the only location, but it will for the next six to eight weeks.
"The plan is, if it works, it could become permanent, there could be more than one 'Nee-Naw' - we're learning as we're going," Mr O'Donoghue said.
Dublin City Council Chief Executive Richard Shakespeare said the 'Nee-Naw' would support their goal of making Dublin "a safer, more welcoming city at night".
"By providing real-time welfare support in a key nightlife area, this pilot demonstrates how cities can actively support vibrant night-time activity while prioritising public safety and well-being," he said.
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