Kilkenny’s reputation as a safe city is under threat from groups of teenagers causing public disorder on the streets.
That’s according to local Gardai who’re launching a zero-tolerance policy on anti-social behavior.
This means they will be arresting and fining anyone caught underage drinking, found drunk in public or causing trouble in town.
Superintendent Derek Hughes says local young people are causing most of the problems when they gather in big groups late at night:
“Kilkenny city, I have been in post since 2016, and it has a reputation, which is the envy of other cities in Ireland, as being a very safe city. My concern is that that reputation is becoming at risk by what we’re seeing on the streets on Friday and Saturday nights”
Superintendent Hughes says from now on they will face prosecution:
“We are taking a zero-tolerance approach to public intoxication and public disorder and that will unfortunately result in people being fined, people being arrested and people being prosecuted and finding themselves before the district court”
Listen back to his conversation with our Sue Nunn on The Way It Is here:
