Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Friday, 18 July 2014

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications

Concert Licensing: Dublin City Council

2:30 pm

Photo of Timmy DooleyTimmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

How was it at that stage that he did not envisage a breach of precedent, which has been cited as a reason for refusal? The witness was aware the three One Direction concerts had taken place and the planning stipulation allowed three concerts. The three events for the year had already taken place. Mr. Keegan should have been aware of the precedent issue and he should certainly have been aware of the possibility of over-intensification, so-called, if that is what was the ultimate outcome. The issue of a level of disruption is the only issue where Mr. Keegan may have some grounds in arguing that the relevant parties did not succeed in providing the appropriate plan which could have mitigated the worst effects of the excessive disruption. It seems the other issues should have been blindingly obvious, that five concerts represented over-intensification, if it did, or that there was a breach of precedent. These were reasons given by Mr. Keegan or which were arrived at by Mr. Keogan in the process of statutory proceedings as grounds for refusal. Nevertheless, Mr. Keegan did not see those in February or in the following months, when 10% of the country was excited or exhilarated about attending this event. It became a "major national event", to quote Mr. Páraic Duffy. Tickets were being sold while stages were being built and lighting rigs were being put together to be packed on a boat somewhere in the United States to come here.

At this time, Mr. Keegan sat back and believed everything was okay, allowing this to spiral out of control. It is a hard one for me and the council's rate payers to fathom. I note the Restaurants Association of Ireland issued a statement today. It does not refer personally to Mr. Keegan, in fairness, although it is worded negatively towards Dublin City Council. It has passed a motion demonstrating a lack of confidence in Dublin City Council to be pro-business. It is a damning indictment of the executive within the council and I expect it will need to respond to it. These are the rate payers and the people most affected by the cancellation of all these events. They and the people they employ have the most to lose.

I am not comfortable that Mr. Keegan was able to be seen to be supportive in February but reached a decision preventing the concerts going ahead. Two of the reasons outlined as part of the decision to refuse should have been blindingly obvious right from the start.

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