The "insane explosion of drinking in public places" in Galway will persist unless without the adoption of a strategy to tackle the issue by the Galway City Council, the gardaí, the HSE, and third-level institutions.
This is the view of Deputy Mayor, and Independent city councillor, Colette Connolly, who is calling on the above institutions to adopt such a strategy, and for it to have contributions from councillors, the public, and businesses. "There must be a unified approach to ensure public safety," she said.
'Residents suffer from the consequential anti-social behaviour that ensues, including urination and defecation, noise and general loss of amenity'
"The strategy must have the net effect of making Galway a zero tolerance zone for public drinking to counteract the intolerable decline in standards we have seen for the last 10 years," she said.
Cllr Connolly says that while the Spanish Arch and the Claddagh have been "the regular hang out of people who flout the drinking by-laws and suffer no consequences", other areas of the city, such as Woodquay, Bowling Green, Bohermore, Knocknacarra, and or public parks, are also areas where public drinking takes place.
"Residents suffer from the consequential anti-social behaviour that ensues, including urination and defecation, noise and general loss of amenity," she said, and added that the sale of alcohol from off-licenses, supermarkets, or pubs must be looked at.
