Seanad debates
Wednesday, 18 June 2003
Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2003: Second Stage.
I rang a Garda station in Blanchardstown recently and asked them to attend an incident I witnessed which had the potential to become very serious. I was told that it would be three hours before they could get to me. I know the Minister is sick and tired of the Opposition speaking continually about the lack of gardaĆ and the absence of the additional 2,000 personnel the Government promised, but unless there are sufficient gardaĆ to monitor and enforce the Bill's provisions, this will be a waste of time. It will be extremely difficult for a publican to put a regular out of his pub who is drunk and disorderly or a danger to others. We are placing huge responsibilities on publicans. I agree with the measures, but we will have to wait to see if they are implemented by publicans or not.
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