Dublin City Council is to consider restricting marches in O'Connell Street following last month's riots.
City manager John Fitzgerald last night encouraged councillors to bring in regulations to limit the right to protest in O'Connell Street so that it would not be turned into a "marching theme park". His remarks received the support of party group leaders across the council.
Mr Fitzgerald said he did not believe any regulations could have prevented the violence caused by protesters against the "Love Ulster" march.
However, he said a legislative framework was needed to regulate how O'Connell Street was used in the future.
"We need to have a look again at the regulatory framework and the legislation that surrounds the use of the city centre and O'Connell Street," he said.
Protests were held in O'Connell Street a total of 39 times last year and the number of marches was growing every year.
The council needed to consider the rights of traders and shoppers to use the street as well as the rights of protesters. He said he would consult the council's law agent before returning to the councillors with draft regulations on the use of the street.
The city was facing a bill of €75,000 as a result of the damage caused by the riots, which he said should not be paid by the business community.
"I can't see why traders should pick up the tab for this and we should look at recouping it maybe from some of the people who perpetrated the violence in the first place."
However, the events should not be allowed to ruin the upcoming St Patrick's Day and Easter parades, he said. "Our own view is that this was a one-off and the chance of a repeat of that situation and the cocktail that gave rise to it, the likelihood of that being repeated, is very, very unlikely."
Labour councillor Emer Costello said it was important the right to democratic protest was upheld, but she said she would have "no problem" bringing in regulations on the number of marches on O'Connell Street.
Fianna Fáil group leader Julia Carmichael said she welcomed the manager's report and said councillors should have had a say in whether the recent march went ahead.
It was incumbent on the city council to take a lead role in agreeing the composition of marches with organisers, Fine Gael group leader Gerry Breen said.
Sinn Féin's Christy Burke thanked the city management for their response to the riots. "I believe that senior Garda management and the Minister for Justice got it totally wrong," he said. Fianna Fáil's Maurice Ahern agreed with the need for regulations. Labour's Oisín Quinn and Fine Gael's Naoise Ó Muirí defended people's right to march.
Ulster Unionists decline invite to 1916 event: page 9
