The Department of Justice has launched a public consultation on the modernisation of licensing laws through the proposed Sale of Alcohol Bill.
The department said the consultation will look at how best to update the existing laws governing the sale and regulation of alcohol in Ireland.
Minister for Justice Helen McEntee intends to enact reforms by the end of next year.
Ms McEntee said that she wants to modernise the system and allow more late licences and consider staggered opening hours.
She told RTÉ's News at One that while she is conscious that the hospitality and night-time economy have gone through an "awful" 18 months due to the Covid-19 pandemic, she is also planning for the future.
Ms McEntee said that pubs, restaurants, nightclubs and others are operating under outdated laws, some of which date back to 1833.
Dublin is one of the few capital cities "where everything closes at the same time and you don't have a huge suite of options available to people," she said.
The minister added it will not be the case that everywhere will be open until 6am, and that public health will be an element in the reforms, but staggered hours will be considered.
Ms McEntee insisted that "it won't be a free-for-all, it will be regulated".
The reforms will include an extra layer of governance to prevent teenagers from ordering alcohol online, she added.
The consultation opened today and will continue until 21 January next with interested individuals, groups and organisations invited to take part.
Full details are available on the Department of Justice website.
