LAWS on the sale of alcohol are to be significantly relaxed under plans agreed by Stormont ministers.
Pubs and nightclubs in the North of Ireland will be able to serve alcohol for an extra hour, until 2 am almost every Friday and Saturday.
Drinking-up time will be extended to an hour, meaning venues can operate until 3 am at weekends.
If approved by the assembly the new rules should be in place by early next year.
All the restrictions around Easter drinking will also be removed.
Currently restrictions on selling alcohol are in place from the Thursday before Easter until Easter Sunday.
Alcohol can only be served between 5 pm and 11 pm on Good Friday and bars have to stop serving at midnight on Thursday and Easter Saturday.
In other areas, rules will be tightened up.
The current voluntary code of practice for drinks promotions will be replaced with legal requirements.
The new rules have been a very long time in the making.
Stormont first began consulting on them eight years ago.
