CMO: Pubs no cure for Killarney party
THE acting Chief Medical Officer last night refuted claims that the gathering on the streets of Killarney would not have taken place if pubs had been open.
When asked at yesterday’s Department of Health briefing if reopening ‘wet pubs’ – which do not serve food – would have prevented the controversial gathering, Dr Ronan Glynn said: ‘Obviously we keep the issue of pubs under review but I’m not sure that a [situation] like Killarney would be avoided by opening pubs.’
He added that it was understandable that people were angry over such rebellions against public health guidance, but insisted that the majority of the public have cooperated.
Dr Glynn said: ‘To my mind, the vast majority of people are following the public health advice and really we need to focus on that, focus on the silent majority rather than on the odd occasion where a small, small group of people in relative terms, slip up.’
Earlier yesterday, Kerry TD
Michael Healy-Rae (inset) said the Killarney street party made an argument for the Government to reopen all pubs.
The weekend incident in Kerry has been the talk of the nation since footage of it circulated online. Mr Healy-Rae, however, is of the opinion that if all pubs were , then alcohol could be consumed in moderation and these incidents would not happen. For now, only pubs that serve a substantial meal – one costing at least €9 – are open for business.
Speaking on RTÉ Radio 1’s Morning Ireland yesterday, the Independent TD insisted that what happened in Killarney would not have occurred if all pubs were allowed to open. He said: ‘Killarney is an extremely well policed and managed town.
‘The gardaí are ever-present on our streets, but that night we had a number of very unfortunate incidents: a young man lost his life in Killarney, the gardaí were still at that scene, they were there within minutes and had dispersed that crowd.’
Mr Healy-Rae added: ‘If our public houses are open, people will get alcohol in a measured and principled way, by responsible people who go before our courts every 12 months and who run what I call respectable public houses.’
Mr Healy-Rae said of the infamous incident last Saturday night that went viral: ‘This was not inside any public premises, because our publicans that are opened… They run exceptionally efficient businesses, very well controlled, they are adhering to all the guidelines.
‘If our public houses are open, people will get alcohol in a measured and principled way.
‘These are people who have been giving out drink to people for many decades, family pubs, family hotels, family restaurants, they’re responsible people. I’m advocating that all pubs should be open, not just ones who serve food.’
Mr Healy-Rae noted his brother Danny, also a TD, runs a pub, but said that everyone in the country was entitled to their opinion.
He continued: ‘Of course I will adhere to and go along with the advice, but that doesn’t mean to say that I have to blindly agree and say they’re 100% right in everything they say. That is not life.’