Behaviour of 'very small minority' cannot harm reopening, Harris says

Gardaí make an arrest on Grafton St in Dublin during disturbances on Saturday night. Picture: Damien Storan

The behaviour of "a very small minority" should not take away from the "significance" of the reopening of outdoor hospitality, Higher Education Minister Simon Harris has said.

"Today is a day so many thousands of businesses across Dublin City, Dublin county, and across the entire country have waited for and have worked for," said Mr Harris.

"The efforts that every single person in this country and benefits of the vaccine programme are now allowing us for the very first time this year to reopen restaurants, reopen pubs, reopen cinemas, people to visit each other's homes again, swimming pools, gyms, this is a very, very significant day."

Challenge is to stay open

Mr Harris said the challenge now is to ensure that we reopen and stay open.

He said the number of arrests over the weekend was not higher than any other normal bank holiday, but he said that "nobody can stand over brutal attacks on gardaí".

Minister Simon Harris said the number of arrests over the weekend was not higher than any other normal bank holiday

He said it was not right to conflate the reopening of pubs and restaurants and how local authorities have prepared for this with the anti-social behaviour seen over this weekend and last.

"What they need is exactly what they got.

"The gardaí taking proportionate action to make sure that people who attack members of An Garda Síochána, jump on a taxi, and try to assault members of the gardaí are dealt with," said Mr Harris.

He said we cannot excuse people who engage in "thuggery" by claiming more bins or public toilets would solve the issue.

"If there is a small minority of people who remain intent on causing danger on our streets, they will have to be dealt with through our criminal justice system."