asked the Minister for the Environment if he will consider the introduction of legislation to set safety standards for outdoor events such as sporting fixtures or pop concerts where large crowds of people are involved.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Safety Standards for Outdoor Events.
9.
The development of sports stadia is subject to planning control and safety aspects would be a relevant consideration in the determination of applications. In addition, control provisions of the planning, sanitary services, road traffic and fire services legislation may, depending on the circumstances, be relevant to events such as those referred to in the question. The need for more specific legislative controls in relation to these events is being examined.
This question was raised as a result of the dangerous situation that might have occurred at the recent All-Ireland Final on the third Sunday in September where, but for the discipline of the crowd, there could have been injury and loss of life. Am I correct in saying the Garda did not have sufficient powers to deal with the crowd in that they could only offer advice to the organisers of the event? My information is that this is so and that they did not have power to block off access. Are the Department considering changes in the legislation to give powers to the Garda in such a situation and also to have the type of control over outdoor events that exists in relation to discos, cinemas, hotels and so on in relation to the numbers who may attend at such events? Further, is the Minister aware of the events that took place in Dalymount Park last week when a crowd mounted the roof of the stand which could have resulted in an enormous tragedy?
That appears to be a separate question.
Is the Minister considering any action to ensure that these incidents will not happen in the future at outdoor events where there are huge crowds and where people may have access to the roof of stands?
The Deputy raised two specific instances of which I did not receive notice. From the information available to me and from my own knowledge, I can tell him that we are looking in a general way into the question of whether we need extra legislative controls to deal with such events. However, I have no information in relation to the two events mentioned by the Deputy.