Ban on street drinking?

Puteq · 14-07-2015 04:21PM #1

Hi, I am hearing recently that the guards in Galway are bringing in tougher measures to ban drinking on the street, as in not their usual 'down with that sort of thing' as they confiscate your few cans, but 'fine on the spot' type of thing:

http://www.joe.ie/news/you-will-soon-face-on-the-spot-fines-for-drinking-in-public-in-galway-city/502859

Now I have no problem with this in the busy streets of Galway but the Spanish Arch has always been a great spot on a sunny day to sit with a few cans and while it may not have been strictly legal, I think the guards generally left people to do their thing so long as they confined it to there and there was no trouble.

Does anyone know is there truth in this, are the guards going to clamp down on this everywhere in Galway, even on the good ol Sparch? Last thing I want is to sit with a can in the sun and get a hundred euro fine! Thanks

inisboffin · 14-07-2015 04:36PM

Jesus. I'd be less worried by the fine and more worried by the 'power to search you on the spot' given to a Garda or COMMUNITY WARDEN! :eek:

Given the last paragraph though I am not sure how real it is.

snubbleste · 14-07-2015 04:42PM

Ask Cllr Peter Keane why he is proposing this!

wp_rathead · 14-07-2015 06:44PM

Shame, always had great time down at Spanish Arch.

Remember few summers back some of us having cans down there, with two Americans, and two gardaí come over- the Americans get all nervous when they see them come.
Gardaí: How are ye?
1 Irish friend: grand now, some day.
Gardaí: Tis. Listen, make shure ta clean up after ye now.
All of us Irish: Ah ya. Ofcourse.

Gardaí nod at us and walk off. American's couldn't get over it, they thought we were going to be fined or have drink confiscated. (and yes we put our cans in the bin)

Seems to be the end of that now though

Whereisgalway · 14-07-2015 06:48PM

Can be relaxed durning certain times, such as the race/arts festival. It should be either in or not

Sounds like it's another means gardai will use to unfairly target the homeless

Jan Laco · 14-07-2015 06:56PM

I posted in a minimum price for alcohol thread that I didn't think we lived in a nanny state, but reading this I'm beginning to wonder.

Unless it's synchronised and they think there will be a loss of the pub trade because of more people "knacker drinking" (my local term of endearment for it).

I was in Madrid and we sat out at a park where there was some Chinese selling cans for €1 within sight of a patrol car. Everyone was relaxing and enjoying a cool beer. The police defo know what's going on.
Here where nice days are far and few between the police should have more common sense...but of course they are only following high command.

Muckracker · 14-07-2015 06:57PM

When did Ireland turn into such a ****in nanny state?

SameHorse · 14-07-2015 11:53PM

not so much nannying as it is racketeering, imo.

publicans are all for this sort of thing.

and what are the most popular professions of the people running our country ? why, publicans/landlords/solicitors of course.

did someone say housing crisis ?

but I digress.

Fey! · 15-07-2015 11:59AM

I think that it's just giving them powers to deal with those who leave the place in shite behind them. Unfortunately there are a large number of people who just leave their cans and plastic on the ground behind them.

Of course, I've never really been one for the conspiracy theories, so I'm probably wrong; it's really big brother colluding with big business.

SameHorse · 15-07-2015 03:27PM

Fey! wrote: »

I think that it's just giving them powers to deal with those who leave the place in shite behind them.

if that's the case, legislate against leaving the place in ****e behind you.
oh wait... we already have on-the-spot fines for littering.

back to the drawing board.

Fey! wrote: »

Of course, I've never really been one for the conspiracy theories, so I'm probably wrong; it's really big brother colluding with big business.

it's not a 'conspiracy theory' ... you need only look at who is in the council (or government in the grander scheme of things) to see who really benefits from the gardai clamping down on off-licence drinking on sunny days.

a balance needs to be struck between public and private interests, and this proposal isn't it.

Wompa1 · 15-07-2015 05:01PM

SameHorse wrote: »

if that's the case, legislate against leaving the place in ****e behind you.
oh wait... we already have on-the-spot fines for littering.

back to the drawing board.

So use Garda resources to hang around and watch people drink their cans for hours to get them when they don't throw them away?

Also, drinking in public is already illegal unless you've got the drink covered up or in a non-descript container or am I going mad?

So, by that logic...just enforce the law that's already there...oh wait, that's what they plan to do..enforce the existing laws

Wompa1 · 15-07-2015 05:03PM

Muckracker wrote: »

When did Ireland turn into such a ****in nanny state?

It's always been a nanny state. The Catholic church has pulled the strings for centurys. We also have had a pretty socialist outlook and entitlement culture for decades.

SameHorse · 16-07-2015 02:02AM

Wompa1 wrote: »

So use Garda resources to hang around and watch people drink their cans for hours to get them when they don't throw them away?

Don't be so fatuous. (if you can help it)

Wompa1 wrote: »

Also, drinking in public is already illegal unless you've got the drink covered up or in a non-descript container or am I going mad?

So, by that logic...just enforce the law that's already there...oh wait, that's what they plan to do..enforce the existing laws

no. what they're proposing to do is introduce on-the-spot fines.

as you rightly point out, there's already a legal framework in place for them to deal with public drinking...and there's been absolutely nothing stopping them from enforcing it. nothing. at all.

other than discression and sound judgement, one might assume.

and besides, they have been enforcing it. as many can attest.

Wompa1 · 16-07-2015 02:11AM

SameHorse wrote: »

as you rightly point out, there's already a legal framework in place for them to deal with public drinking...and there's been absolutely nothing stopping them from enforcing it. nothing. at all.

other than discression and sound judgement, one might assume.

and besides, they have been enforcing it. as many can attest.

Its down to the direction given. If they are told to enforce, they will. Same with closing times

Squeeonline · 16-07-2015 11:17AM

They are starting to enforce it, when the sparch is quiet at least. I was sitting down at the far steps with a friend and the po-po told us to move on. We were sitting quietly having a chat and they came up behind us. They had been moving everyone on. Never see this when the sparch is busy.

I get stopping people when they are being anti-social but we were far from that. This was our first drink too.

snubbleste · 16-07-2015 11:29AM

Squeeonline wrote: »

They are starting to enforce it, when the sparch is quiet at least.....

The bye-law isn't in force yet.
Constituents with concerns should contact Fianna Fáil Councillor Peter Keane,
http://www.galwaycity.ie/your-council/council-mayor-information#6

Help!!!! · 16-07-2015 11:35AM

Is drinking in public seen to be a bad thing in Ireland
In other countries when the summer comes people buy alcohol, disposable bbq & head to the park/beach. You will always have a few ar$eholes but the majority just want to enjoy themselves

Squeeonline · 16-07-2015 01:51PM

Help!!!! wrote: »

Is drinking in public seen to be a bad thing in Ireland
In other countries when the summer comes people buy alcohol, disposable bbq & head to the park/beach. You will always have a few ar$eholes but the majority just want to enjoy themselves

yeah, one of my favourite things to do where I live now, is head down to the river/lake side with friends and BBQ/have a couple drinks. Very civilised. On really hot days like today, we might even open a cold one from the shop and drink it on the way to the BBQ spot.

Mrs OBumble · 16-07-2015 02:02PM

Help!!!! wrote: »

Is drinking in public seen to be a bad thing in Ireland
In other countries when the summer comes people buy alcohol, disposable bbq & head to the park/beach. You will always have a few ar$eholes but the majority just want to enjoy themselves

Drinking outside is seen as a bad thing.

It's referred to as "bushing", because you need to do it in the bushes so you don't get caught.

Usually done by people who are too young to be allowed to drink legally: they cannot get into the pub, and are often not allowed to drink at home.

We don't get enough days when it would be worth heading to the park/beach for outdoor-drinking bans to be an issue for many people.

There are some festivals (eg Galway Races) when drinking in the street is allowed, because there is simply not enough space inside for everyone who wants to party.

I am pointedly not making any comments about the relative proportions of a$$holes in Ireland vs elsewhere, or cultural pre-disposition to be excessive about whatever you do.

pmasterson95 · 16-07-2015 02:53PM

I thought this was already a thing tbh. Not hard to avoid. If you see police coming you just go the opposite way. Groundbreaking stuff.

Ban on street drinking?

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