Garda to have power to fine drunks

ANYONE FOUND by the Garda to be drunk in public can now be fined €100 on the spot under new powers just signed into effect.

Gardaí can also now impose an on-the-spot fine of €140 on anyone being drunk and disorderly as part of the latest move by the Minister for Justice, Dermot Ahern, to tackle alcohol abuse.

The new regulations, which are being introduced under the auspices of the Intoxicating Liquor Act 2008, are intended to take such offences out of the remit of the courts and to free up court time.

A statement from the Department of Justice, issued yesterday, said: "Under the regulations, if a member of An Garda Síochána is of the opinion that a person has committed one of these offences s/he may serve on that person a fixed charge notice . . . instead of being prosecuted for the offence."

A person issued with a fine has 28 days to pay it.

Mr Ahern said the new powers would give gardaí "another tool in enforcing the provisions of the law designed to deal with the public disorder consequences of such abuse.

"This will lead to a more efficient and effective use of Garda resources and avoid court proceedings for less serious public order offences."

Gardaí will also have the legal power to instruct a person to leave an area in a peaceful manner.

These are the latest moves against alcohol abuse initiated under the terms of the Act, which came into effect at the end of July. The Act has already given gardaí the power to confiscate alcohol that is being drunk in public, and from anyone under 18 years.

The new Act has also decreased the hours when alcohol can be sold through off-sales, as well as having removed access to theatre licences that some nightclubs had obtained and which allowed them stay open until 3.30am.

All clubs must now close by 2.30am from Monday to Saturday nights and by 1.30 am on Sunday nights.

Pubs must close by 11.30pm, where previously they could serve alcohol until 12.30 am.

The restrictions come in response to an increase of 76 per cent in the rate of hospitalisation of intoxicated persons between 1997 and 2002 (the year alcohol consumption peaked in this country).

There has also been an almost four-fold increase in criminal proceedings for abusive and threatening behaviour since 1996 and an increase of almost 70 per cent in the number of off-licences and mixed-trading premises authorised to sell the full range of alcohol products between 2001 and 2007.