Updated 12.56pm
GARDAÍ HAVE WARNED concert-goers that tight restrictions will be in place at three concerts due to take place at Marlay Park in Dublin next week.
Superintendent Peter Duff said that gardaí will be permitted to carry out searches on concert-goers at the gigs by Kasabian and Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, David Guetta, and Van Morrison, Tom Jones and Don Baker.
They will also be permitted to conduct searches prior to the points of entry, as well as within the park.
Dogs from the Garda drug unit will also be present at the entry points for the concerts.
In excess of 175 gardaí will police the concerts with more gardaí to be made available if needed at the David Guetta concert as it is a sold out event.
Private security will also be supplied by the concert promoter. An exact figure for the number of private security staff has not yet been decided by MCD but it’s indicated that it could be as many as 400.
Superintendent Duff from Tallaght Garda station warned that anyone who is intoxicated will not be permitted into the event. Uniformed and plain clothes gardaí will be mingling in the crowd at all three concerts.
Louis Harte, the event controller, warned concert goers to pay attention to age restrictions – the David Guetta concert is strictly for people over the age of 17, and anyone under the age will be refused permission to enter.
“It is very important that attendees can prove their age at the point of entry. A passport, garda age card or student ID will be accepted,” said Mr Harte.
Denis Desmond of MCD said that anyone under 17 who has a ticket can get a refund from the point of purchase between now and Monday. He said that “under no circumstances” will anyone underage be allowed entry.
He added that the selling of beer and wine will only be permitted at the concerts. He stated that this has always been MCD’s policy despite other reports in the media.
Mr Harte said all security staff at the concerts have clear instructions on how to deal with intoxicated people. Mr Desmond said concert-goers who bring alcohol to the event will be made to bin it. “If they are also intoxicated they will not gain entry to the concert,” said Mr Desmond.
Richard Shakespeare from the licencing authority, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council said he was pleased to welcome the concerts return to the park stating that for the last 12 years there has been no trouble. He explained that the concerts have brought in €2.6 million in revenue for the council that has been invested in 26 playgrounds over the last number of years.
The tightened rules follow the Swedish House Mafia concert in the Phoenix Park last month at which one person died and nine people were stabbed. Around 145 Gardaí were on duty at that concert along with around 350 security personnel.
Gardaí would not comment specifically on the Phoenix Park concerts at today’s press conference. However Superintendent Duff said there are always “lessons learned” and that he is satisfied that the policing plan in place for the Marlay Park concerts will be satisfactory.
Mr Harte said the actions of few should not be “over emphasised” stating:
Over 120,000 people attended the concerts over 3 days and it was only a small percentage that indulged in anti-social behaviour.
Justin Green of MCD said that he could not comment on the Garda review of the Phoenix Park concerts as he had not yet seen the report. MCD are also conducting their own review which will be concluded and published in September.
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