Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am a little disappointed that the Minister of State is reassuring me that there is a policing plan in place and that she is appealing to the public not to gather. This is not about the public gathering but about a relatively small number of people organising an event that is not controlled. It is about the Garda being overwhelmed because when I spoke to some members of the force, they said that they were applying the law as best they could. I empathise with them. This is bigger than the members of the Garda, who are just one aspect of it. We need collaboration with the city council and we need community wardens along with members of the Garda. Before I came in today, I looked out the window and counted 28 gardaí minding us in this august establishment here. I would like to see that presence on the ground in Galway.

The Minister of State is appealing to people who are not listening. I have read their Facebook communications. They are not hearing but are telling us that they are going to keep going until they get what they want. I would call that, at the very least, defiant language. I am all in favour of car enthusiasts when acting in an organised and controlled way. This is not a controlled event but is depriving the majority of people of the enjoyment of public space. This is interfering with people's safety and health where people are turning up. I know that the Minister of State is aware of this but I am asking her to take a hands-on approach in this regard. At the very least, we need a meeting of the Deputies from Galway with the Garda superintendent. We then need an absolute plan for this matter for the next number of Sundays in order that we can reassure the people in Salthill, the Claddagh and the other areas of Galway affected that this will not continue. We cannot have a situation where someone is airlifted because they cannot get through the streets of Galway. At the best of times the traffic congestion is unacceptable because we have utterly failed to deal with traffic congestion but this is an extra element. Once again, I appeal to the Minister of State to take a hands-on approach in this matter in her position as a Minister of State and at the very least to let us sit down together with the superintendent and with the city manager to ensure that this does not continue.

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