Cork outdoor events will no longer be dry affairs following changes to bylaw

ALCOHOL is set to flow at some of Cork’s flagship open-air festivals and carnivals.

It follows a resolution by city councillors to amend 10-year-old bylaws which banned the consumption of intoxicating liquor on the city’s streets.

The proposed amendment to the Cork Corporation (Prohibition of the Consumption of Intoxicating Liquor on the Streets and in Public Places) Bylaws 2001 read: “It shall not be an offence under these bylaws to consume intoxicating liquor at an event in respect of which there is in operation a letter from the City Manager exempting the application of these byelaws, at such location, for such period and subject to such conditions as stated therein, application for such letter to be made to the City Manager in advance of such event and the granting of such exemption to be at the sole discretion of the City Manager following consultation with the Gardaí.”

It was adopted despite concerns from some councillors. The amendment will take legal effect from July 14.

The decision now gives city manager Tim Lucey the power to exempt certain events from the 2001 byelaws, allowing the consumption of alcohol.

He stressed that such a decision will only be taken after close consultation with the gardaí, and that strict guidelines for the operation of the events will be laid down.

And he stressed that the event organisers will still have to apply to the courts for a special licence to sell the alcohol in the first place.

It is understood that major outdoor festivals and events like the Ocean to City Race and the Christmas Celebration on the Grand Parade will be among those to benefit from the decision.

But Cllr Kieran McCarthy (Ind) criticised the move.

“Alcohol is a scourge on society. We should not be jumping on the bandwagon of consumerism,” he said.

He also said he has seen people brazenly drinking alcohol on city quays, while sitting on deckchairs.

Cllr Michael Ahern (Lab) also raised concerns.

“We either have byelaw prohibiting the sale or alcohol or not,” he said.

But Cllr Des Cahill (FG) supported the amendment.

“We’re here to cater for the vast majority of people who behave responsibly — we can’t be deterred by the minority who behave irresponsibly,” he said.

Meanwhile, city councillors also adopted a raft of the new bylaws on Monday governing the city council’s parks, open spaces and cemeteries byelaws, including a crackdown on the control of horses.

The bylaws include a new law prohibiting any horse, as defined in the Control of Horses Act 1996, to enter or remain in a park, cemetery or open space, or to be turned out to graze there.

The use of quad bikes in public parks has been banned, as have barbecues, the climbing of trees, and skating on any frozen water on any lake, pond or watercourse in a park.

People will also have to get the written permission of the council to operate any model aircraft or sailing vessel.

Fines of up to €75 can be imposed on people found to be in breach of the new byelaws.

But Cllr Ted Tynan (WP) said the new bylaws are coming into force at a time when garda numbers are reducing. “These bylaws will be absolutely useless without enforcement, and until garda numbers are increased,” he said.