BRASSIL AND HEALY RAE CLASH IN JUNCKER SPAT
“INSULTING and vulgar language” by some Killarney buskers is blighting the tourism town of Killarney and won’t be tolerated any longer by the local authority.
Busking may have been how artists like Ed Sheeran, Tracy Chapman and KT Tunstall started but councillors in Killarney are hoping to halt the stream of buskers to the tourist town – unless they are of a high standard.
Killarney Town Manager, John Breen, said this week that anyone coming to Killarney busking “should have respect for the audience” they are in front of.
“Killarney and Kerry are known for its high standard and that should be seen in busking too,” he said.
“It is a minority problem but it is an opportunity to play to an international audience and they have to respect that. Some of what is happening now is not acceptable. “
Mr Breen told the Killarney Municipal District meeting that bye-laws are currently being drafted for Killarney and Kerry to regulate busking. He said these bye-laws must be carefully drafted as there are a number of issues that need to be addressed.
“It is important that we get it right to ensure that they are enforceable.”
Outgoing Mayor of Killarney Niall Kelleher criticised the delay in bringing in the bye-laws stating that it was “like a broken record” as he was told 12 months ago that the bye-laws are to be implemented for this year’s tourism season.
“We have a severe problem with busking,” he said.
While he is in favour of busking and that it was good for the town, he said that some of the current standard of busking is not good for the town.
“What we have is some who think they can sing or enter the use of insulting language. This should not be tolerated.”
He said that he has in fact raised the use of this foul language with gardaí which he said included “hurling insults” and was “degrading” the town.
Cllr John Joe Culloty also said that he had witnesses “vuglarity” by some buskers which needs to be addressed but that it should be remembered that some of the best entertainers started busking. This sentiment was expressed by Cllr Brendan Cronin who also said that some of the music was wonderful. ‘NATIONAL work isn’t a priority for some TDs’ according to Deputy John Brassil who shot across the bows of TD Michael HealyRae for not meeting with EU Commission President, Jean Claude Juncker during a recent visit. The Fianna Fail Deputy said it was yet another example of national work not being a priority for some TDs.
“Is Deputy Healy Rae only interested in the title and not in the work? When issues of major national importance arise, doing what’s right for the country must take precedence,” Deputy Brassil said.
He added there were ‘numerous opportunities’ for Deputy Healy-Rae to engage with President Juncker and put forward his views on what needs to happen to make Europe work better and to find solutions to Brexit in the context of the county’s exposure in terms of agri-business and tourism.
However, Deputy Healy-Rae hit back saying he was attending a family funeral and could not be in Dublin on the day of Juncker’s visit. He described Deputy Brassil’s attack as ‘ a new low in Kerry politics’.
“If John Brassil is so idle that all he can do is concentrate on watching what I’m doing it says something. The people of Kerry will judge me on my record. John seems to be preoccupied with where I am, who I’m with, and what I’m doing. If he or anyone else had a death in their houses I can guarantee you I wouldn’t go questioning where they were,” Deputy Healy-Rae said.
Deputy Brassil also accused Michael Healy-Rae of snubbing EU Chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, in 2017 by not showing up to his speech in the Dáil, something Healy-Rae has again rebuked.
“Little did John know that I and other members had met with Michel Barnier to set out a template for what he would do in Dublin. It was I who suggested that he travel north of the border. This is just John looking for cheap headlines – he should stick his idle nose out of my business,” Deputy Healy-Rae added.