There is to be a no-nonsense crackdown on public disorder and anti-social behaviour arising from large groups of people congregating in certain parts of tourist hotspots Killarney at weekends.

Garda patrols are being increased on the streets and extra personnel will be assigned to monitor behaviour and to engage with the public.

Authorities in the town have advised people not to attend such open air gatherings as it is leading to law and order issues and proving to be very upsetting for residents and others.

Although people have been congregating in large groups in a number of locations, the Beech Road car park is a particular area of concern and An Garda Siochana and Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce have appealed to people to desist from gathering there, particularly at night.

Several instances of public disorder were reported in the area during recent weekend nights and it led to arrests being made.

On one night alone, a number of underage drinkers were arrested and brought to Killarney Garda Station from where their parents were contacted and informed.

Killarney Garda Superintendent, Flor Murphy, said parents and guardians have an important role to play in ensuring their children and teenagers are behaving themselves when they are not at home.

“Our message to parents is to take the necessary steps to ensure that they are not the next people we will be contacting late at night or in the early hours of the morning to tell them that their child is in Garda custody,” he said.

APPEAL

Supt. Murphy also appealed to people not to supply alcohol to or purchase it for people under 18 years of age as, apart from the obvious health and safety risks involved, it is an offence to do so.

“We will not tolerate any anti-social behaviour or underage drinking and that message needs to go out loud and clear,” Supt Murphy said.

The authorities are concerned that the majority of those congregating in the open areas are younger people, most of whom have still to receive the COVID-19 vaccinations, and they are the most at risk group from the surge in the Delta variant.

“People must take individual responsibility and they must act and behave in a proper manner,” he stated.

Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce has stressed the need for public health guidelines to be adhered to and pointed out that the Safe Streets programme implemented by Kerry County Council is designed for that purpose.

“There are areas specifically designated for socialising and, to ensure people are kept safe, these plans must be respected,” said Chamber President Niall Kelleher.

PLAN
Kerry County Council has put in place a detailed operational plan to manage various issues like outdoor dining, litter management and extended opening hours for public conveniences and the local authority has enforcement officers on duty, outside of normal working hours, to ensure that public safety regulations are adhered to.

“Everybody in Killarney has worked hard to build the town’s deserved reputation as a safe, pleasant and welcoming place to visit and we must ensure that our night-time economy is every bit as attractive and appealing as Killarney’s natural attractions are during daylight hours,” the Chamber President said.
“Killarney worked tirelessly to secure its Purple Flag status which rewards excellence in managing the night-time economy in terms of safety, vibrancy and diversity and we will do everything possible to protect that status,” he added.

An inter-agency communication and cooperation policy has been put in place in the town with regular meetings between representatives of An Garda Siochana, Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce, the Mayor of Killarney, Kerry County Council, Killarney Vintners and the Kerry branch of the Irish Hotels Federation.

The meetings are designed to ensure that all stakeholders are communicating regularly to ensure that everyone has a safe and enjoyable summer.