New rules banning drinking in public promised for Navan
by Paul Murphy Updated: Wednesday, 13th July, 2011 4:51pm
The Mayor of Navan has revealed he had to give up walking his dog at the local Ramparts because of the activities of "antisocial elements" engaged in drinking alcohol along the Boyne.
Cllr Anton McCabe said that while the activities were confined to a small group of people, they proved to be intimidating for people who enjoyed walks along the picturesque area and many people were having to go to Dalgan Park or Claremont to engage in their favourite pastimes, such as walking.
Now, a move to control drinking of alcohol in public places is to be made by Navan Town Council, which intends to bring in new by-laws later this year.
Cllr McCabe said that the new by-laws were being introduced in response to a widespread demands from communities in the town that alcohol consumption in public places should be curbed.
Navan Town Clerk Shane Donnelly wrote to Meath County Council saying that the town council intended introducing the new laws, the latest such effort to bring in legislation to cut out drinking in public places. Previous attempts in recent years to bring in new rules failed.
He said the council felt that the move was in the interests of the common good of the local community within its functional area. The new by-laws are expected to come into operation on Monday 10th October next.
The only persons excluded from the by-laws are members of the clergy "who has in his possession and/or consumes intoxicating liquor in a church, churchyard, cemetery or their curtilage for the purpose of religious ceremonies".
The ban on the consumption of alcohol will apply in public places such as highways, footpaths or roads; cemeteries, churchyards or their curtilage; trains, vessels or vehicles used for the carriage of persons for reward, and any tables and chairs outside a hotel, restaurant or public house.
Cllr McCabe said that the prevalence of drinking alcohol in public places had become a "hot" topic at the county's Joint Policing Committee and there had been many demands for curbs on drinking in public. He said the issue was also high on the agendas of many residents' groups around Navan.
"This has been an issue since I was elected to the council and it has been very high on our agenda and on the agenda of the JPC. There is legislation there when gardai can seize alcohol when it is being consumed in public places. But there is a question of enforcement," he said.
He said he had to give up walking his dog at the Ramparts because of the activities of some young people there. "I notified the gardai a number of times and, to be fair to them, they went down there and spoke to people and seized drink," he added.
The mayor that he had been in Newry recently and had seen a bus containing people from the Republic alighting from it. "They had alcohol in their hands and were drinking away. It didn't last very long because the police were soon all over them, telling them they couldn't drink in public," he added.
"There's too much of an excuse here for people to say 'I didn't know you couldn't drink in public' so these new by-laws will make it clear to people where they stand. Signs will go up around the town so that people will be left in no doubt what they can and can't do in relation to drinking alcohol in the town," Cllr McCabe said.
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