Fianna Fáil Councillor Alan Cheevers has called for public drinking areas in cities around the country.
Speaking to Newstalk this morning, Galway City East councillor Alan Cheevers said young people needed a “controlled environment” where they could enjoy socialising and drinking outdoors this summer, following a weekend of violence in Dublin.
“I think this could be rolled out right across the country,” he said.
“I think that there always will be a minority of people that will cause anti-social behaviour and we are never going to get rid of that. That is always going to be there.
“The majority of young people will be responsible to a certain extent. They will look at getting into a particular area where they can actually have a drink in a controlled environment and a designated area – I think it is something we need to look at.
“At the end of the day, people – not just students or younger people – people are going to drink outdoors anyway,” he said.
Aside from pubs not yet serving indoors, Cheever said the price of alcohol is a major factor in the decision to drink outside.
“The reality is a lot of it is down to the price of drink. If you have to go into a pub and pay €5 or €6 for a beer, why would you do that when you can go to an off-licence and buy 20 for €20 and go out on the street and drink it. That is the other side of it as well.
“I think we need a proper designated area with proper toilets. A proper area which would be allocated for people to outdoor drink in a safer environment. I think it possibly would make it easier as well for the Gardaí.”
Over 55 people were arrested in Dublin over the Bank Holiday weekend, with several Gardaí injured and cars damaged by some in the crowds of young people gathering to drink on South William Street.
My interview on Newstalk Breakfast on proposed designated outdoor drinking zones across the country. https://t.co/ac95yOENev
— Cllr. Alan Cheevers Fianna Fáil (@AlanCheeversFF) June 8, 2021