Call for a full-time Garda presence at Spanish Arch

Date Published: 27-May-2010

By Darragh McDonagh

A permanent Garda presence at the Spanish Arch is required to prevent the local landmark from gaining a reputation as a hotbed of antisocial behaviour, according to a member of the city’s Joint Policing Committee (JPC).

Chaotic scenes were witnessed during the recent spell of fine weather as outdoor revellers flouted public drinking byelaws at the popular tourist attraction.

Cllr Niall McNelis said that local businesses are suffering as the area is turned into a public toilet every weekend and underage drinking there is rife.

“The age of the kids who are drinking at the Spanish Arch is worrying and they gather there in large numbers,” he said. “There are also groups with bottles of Buckfast, which are effectively weapons, and can turn the nicest guy in the world into a complete idiot.”

He said that tourists had been shocked by the display of public disorder and chaos at the landmark over recent weeks and called for a permanent Garda presence to help eradicate the problems.

“The Gardaí are doing their best and whenever they have the mobile unit positioned in the Spanish Arch, the problem is solved. The solution to these problems is a permanent presence there, and at similar hotspots,” he said.

A Garda spokesperson said that there had been personnel detailed for duties at public order ‘hotspots’ such as Eyre Square and the Spanish Arch over recent weekends.

They acknowledged that the Spanish Arch was recognised as a “trouble spot” but insisted that public drinking byelaws were being enforced with consistency.

The spokesperson said that efforts to curb antisocial behaviour and outdoor drinking at the location would be stepped up during the summer months.

 For more on this story, see the Galway City Tribune