Martin Conway (Fine Gael)

I seek a debate on concert promoters and how outdoor concerts, in particular, are managed. I note the sad events at the Swedish House Mafia concert at the weekend in the Phoenix Park. Coming from a county in which eight people lost their lives at an outdoor concert 25 years ago, it was sad to hear about the loss of life and people being injured at the weekend. I call on the Leader to invite the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Alan Shatter, to discuss policing arrangements at concerts and protocols with concert promoters. I will also ask the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality to request the attendance of the Garda Commissioner to outline the arrangements made with the Garda Síochána. I will also ask the committee to request the attendance of MCD, the concert promoter, to provide an account of security. The streetlights from the Phoenix Park to the city centre were switched off on Saturday night which meant some 45,000 young people had to walk the roads of the Phoenix Park without street lighting. The Phoenix Park should not be made available if it is not a safe and appropriate place. Many questions must be answered by the Garda Síochána, the concert promoter and management in the Phoenix Park. Until there is a proper inquiry and detailed explanation, Phoenix Park should never be used as a concert venue.