Zero tolerance to street drinking this weekend

Date Published: 14-Mar-2013

BY CIARAN TIERNEY

Gardaí in Galway have pledged to implement a “zero tolerance” policy against street drinking throughout the city as they prepare for what is normally the busiest event of the year for public order offences on St Patrick’s Day.

Over three times as many officers as on a normal Sunday will be on duty for the national holiday in the city centre as the authorities brace themselves for another expected rash of alcohol-related arrests over the weekend.

Three years ago, 37 people were arrested for drink-related offences on the national holiday in Galway. That figure dropped to just 12 in 2011, but rose again to over 40 last year.

A holiday weekend Operations Order has been put in place at both Mill Street and Salthill Garda Stations from tonight (Friday) until Monday evening, to deal with an expected influx of visitors and an increase in problem drinking across the city.

“It is the busiest policing day of the year and we have put a special plan in place,” said a Garda spokesman yesterday.

“We have a complete ‘plan of attack’ for the whole weekend period from Friday night to Monday evening and there will be treble the normal number of Gardai on duty on Sunday.”

The Garda spokesman said a “zero tolerance” policy would be in operation for street drinking. Drinking in public is banned in Galway due to a city bye-law, and particular attention would focus on public spaces such as Eyre Square, the Spanish Arch, and parks in Salthill where up to 300 teenagers congregated last weekend.

For more on this story, see the Galway City Tribune.