Public drinking ban to combat street rows

By JACQUELINE HOGGE PROPOSALS to introduce bylaws to prohibit drinking in public places are being considered following an incident in Tuam over the weekend in which three people were injured. The matter was raised at a meeting of the town's Joint Policing Committee this week where Superintendent Gearóid Begley asked Tuam Town Council to consider introducing a bylaw to help curb public order offences involving people who are drunk and disorderly. Gardai were called to the Square on Sunday night following reports of a fracas outside a pub involving up to seven people. Sergeant Martin Connor confirmed that three people received hospital treatment following the incident, which is being investigated. 'We were called to a disturbance shortly after 10 pm on Sunday evening that spilled out of a pub onto the street,' he said. 'It was over by the time the patrol car arrived but when three people presented themselves to the Garda station with injuries sustained in the incident, we sent them to hospital where they were treated. 'We are reviewing CCTV footage from cameras on the Town Hall and private cameras on businesses in the Square and a file is being prepared.' At Monday's JPC meeting, Garda Inspector Michael O'Dwyer said the introduction of a bylaw preventing drinking in public places would strengthen the hand of Gardaí in dealing with public order offences. 'Bylaws have been introduced in Galway city where there is a very wide definition of what is a public place and this has led to a reduction in the number of public order offences caused by people in an intoxicated state. 'It would certainly strengthen our hand if we had the power to seize alcohol and the fact the bylaw is in place in the city means we have a template to work from,' he said. Superintendent Begley said if a bylaw was in place that prevented people from getting drunk in public places it would lead to a reduction in public order offences. 'If this bylaw was introduced it would give us another element in the fight to maintain law and order in terms of underage drinking and young people who are legally entitled to drink but do so to excess and cause problems as a result,' he said. 'We're not saying the bylaw will solve the issue but if we had it at our disposal to use alongside the likes of CCTV cameras and patrol cars on the streets, it would be an additional deterrent for those who do engage in public drinking and the anti-social behaviour that can come with it.' Support in theory Cllr Imelda Kelly said she was in support of a bylaw in theory but needed to know more as to how it would work before the council could adopt any such legislation. 'I'd like to know the guidelines and how such bylaws work in other areas before we go any further with this,' she said. 'I support the concept but I don't know if it will do much to stop the problem of underage or anti-social drinking as those who engage in it will just find somewhere else to do it. That's what youth do and I don't think a bylaw preventing them will make a huge difference.' Mayor of Tuam Cllr Mary Loftus said the problem of public drinking had been in Tuam for many years and she favoured giving the gardai the powers to show a firmer hand when dealing with the issue. Cllr Larry Bane said anything that would help the Gardaí to prevent anti-social behaviour had to be considered, while Cllr Sally Ann Flanagan said that subject to further investigation the onus was on Tuam Town Council to support the Gardaí to enhance law and order in the town. Town Manager Frank Gilmore said he needed to check the jurisdiction in terms of whether it was down to members of Tuam Town Council or Galway Co Council to enact the bylaw. 'We can ascertain this fairly quickly and once we do I will bring the matter to the appropriate council for their consideration very quickly,' he said.