Vol. 500 No. 1
269 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the regulations, if any, in place to deal with crowd control in discos in the interest of safety and to prevent fatalities; the way in which these regulations are enforced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3200/99]
Under the Public Dance Halls Act, 1935 as amended, a licence is required for any place where public dancing is proposed to take place. In this regard, the Licensing (Combating Drug Abuse) Act, 1997, is also relevant. Licences are obtainable by application to the District Court.
The court may hear any member of the Garda Síochána or any person interested in the application for the purpose of supporting or opposing the application. Moreover, the court may impose conditions limiting the numbers to be admitted or specifying precautions to be observed at the venue.
The question of safety and crowd control in discos are matters for the appropriate local authority and fire officer to address with the organiser, in order to ensure the safety of those attending.
