A JUDGE repeated at Limerick District Court yesterday that he will consider the advisability or otherwise of granting licences to discos for late night drinking and dancing.
Judge Michael Reilly said such numbers of people were disgorging themselves on to the streets at night that it was an undesirable and dangerous situation for ordinary citizens and for the Garda.
He said the people involved would be looking to the Garda to protect themselves, their houses and their families later in their lives.
Judge Reilly was speaking at a hearing involving 17 young people who had been remanded from a special sitting on Sunday morning following what had been described in court as a riot situation in O'Connell Street, Limerick, on September 8th.
The judge said it was undesirable that Limerick city should have a riot involving 200 people with 1,000 on the street at the time. All seemed to have had drink taken and, certainly, it was the wrong way to be embarking on a career.
The judge warned that at the Licensing Court on September 26th he would be closely looking at whether or not he would grant licences. Insp Seamus Gallagher, of Henry street Garda station, said there would be objections in respect of three premises.
Seventeen defendants, including a 16 year old, were charged with public order offences at O'Connell Street on September 8th.
The 16 year old youth was also charged with possessing a knife.
The charges against five of the defendants were disposed of yesterday when fines ranging from £75 to £500 were imposed.
The cases against the remaining defendants were adjourned to various dates later this month and in October.