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THE JUSTICE MINISTER Alan Shatter has said that the Garda Commissioner is reviewing the circumstances surrounding events at the Swedish House Mafia concert in the Phoenix Park on Saturday night.
Gardaí are working with the concert promoters MCD, and Shatter has said it is important to examine what happened to see where lessons can be learned.
Shatter noted that a number of concerts have been held relatively trouble-free in the Phoenix Park in the past, and said that it must the examined whether there were particular circumstances pertaining to this event which gave rise to difficulties.
The minister said he wasn’t in a position to comment on security arrangements for Saturday’s concert, but said “developments will be taking place in the near future in relation to the licensing of the event security sector”.
Nine people were stabbed at the event on Saturday night, which also featured music by Snoop Dogg, Calvin Harris and Tinie Tempah. Minister Shatter said that he shared the widespread public concern at the “series of disturbing incidents” which took place at the concert.
A 22-year-old man – Raymond Donnan from Greenfort Crescent in Clondalkin – has been charged in connection with a stabbing at the gig.
The private security sector is regulated by the Private Security Authority, and already licenses doormen and static security guards.
Shatter said that licensing event security staff is on his agenda and that its proposed that all contractors working in event security will be licensed by Autumn 2012, with the licensing of all individuals working in the sector will follow.
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“Patricular circumstances pertaining to the event on saturday” – yes, it was full of young knackers. Start cleaning up the streets, not tinkering around with private security licensing.
im pretty sure this wudnt have happened at a daniel o donnell concert…
More stabbings would be self inflicted!
Considering the amount of people who told me how much they enjoyed the concert, obviously the incidents at it were a minority.
That being said, 9 stabbings & 3 overdoses, as well as a girl from Cork missing, is excessive & it should really be examined in detail what was so different about this particular concert.
Gurriers all!!
Alan shatter in rabbit-in-headlights mode again. We have a sprawling urban underclass who make no contribution to society and ruin everything for everyone else. You can’t stop for a minute in town without someone howiyeh coming up asking for change “for a bus” or “hostel.” How is shatter to know that I suppose being driven around in luxury all day every day.
Totally agree and unfortunately the concert on sat is an example of when these lot of people get together in a open place and let roam free!!!
Stabbings are happening all the time around this country cause people just don’t fear our justice system..
Would I be correct in assuming the same company was in charge of security for the concerts on Friday and Sunday. Makes me think these incidents were more to do with the type of people at Saturdays gig, not the quality of security. Clearly, this gig attracted a more drug loving concert goer. Hence, the west Dublin dealers were peddling some muck in the area that then caused three ODs. Very sad but let’s not kid ourselves with licence reviews, papering over the cracks of a society wide anti social problem
Well said Eamon a fact largely over looked. In fact the same security company successfully manages many concerts and venues all year round. But as usual it’s easier to blame them than face up to the fact that a very sizeable amount of young people are nasty pieces of work, and a lot of them descended on the park last Saturday. The only way to have safely secured that crowd would have being to multiply the staff by 10 and the ticket prices by the same!
650? a ticket? thats a little much but I get you’re point.
This would never have happened outside of Dublin. Just shows the state the city is in these days.
wasn’t there a load of people slashed with a blade at oxegen bout 3 or 4 years ago!? pretty sure that’s outside Dublin!
Not the first time a comment of yours removed from this forum mark, a work beginning with T and sounds like bowling comes to mind.
You can talk dublindad or so called, all you do is insult people when you are not ranting on.
See you later Daddy.
Sounds a bit like Brendan O Connor.
Get the Army out in the streets to patrol with a Garda. Sitting on their butts doing shag all : getting Border duty increments FFS !
Are you serious ? You want a military state ? Bullsh1t .
simples, liscenened event? yes! don’t give a liscene to people who can’t maintain reasonable public order, wouldn’t happen in sport or politics or any other large events…! great craic all the same though, jaysus we loves the craic..
Promises promises
Recruit more gardai and maybe an unlicensed event s.
How much more tax do YOU want to pay…..what a silly comment.
I used to go to Feile and there was undercover police and drug squad there in their droves. Why not just do this again and make it easier to identify the trouble makers and arrest them?
@tommy c
There aren’t even enough uniformed guards left, where do you think the plain clothes ones are gonna come from?
What are you talking about Mark ? There were always undercover cops at the music festivals ,blending in with the real revellers. Mark , what do you suggest should be done ?
MCD should have their license revoked, they simply don’t give a crap and put profit before peoples safety.
Too much these days is reactive rather than proactive. Wouldn’t have been a perfect night but a lot of what happened could have been prevented I’m sure.
Yeah, loike who done the risk assessment loike!
How could it have been prevented? You have about 50,000 people at this event and you’re trying to say this could be prevented when it’s just one nutter going around with a knife?
M.c.d cutting corners again!!!!45 mins to get a drink and long que’s for toilets gets on everybody’s nerves.
I’m sure Mr Desmond of MCD doesn’t care less of the outcome after Saturday night, there was 45,000 people there and they made him a nice few quid, it’ll cushion the blow seeing as Oxygen isn’t on this year, he’ll just have to buy one ivory back scratcher not two!!
Ok look let’s call a spade a spade here, the reason there was so much trouble at this “particular” concert is because the acts that played attract a “particular” crowd most of which just wanna get off there face and dance but some of which just wanna deal and cause as much trouble as possible, the reason other concerts passed off mostly without incident is because the acts don’t attract a criminal element, I really don’t want to generalise here because I’m actually a fan of Dance music but you don’t hear guys with tracksuit bottoms tucked into there air max driving fiat puntos dealing ket pumping the stone roses or Florence and the machine out there windows do you. The answers simple choose your acts more wisely MCD
Went to stone roses on the thurs. hardly any gardai around. Left during the last 2 songs to get a taxi, big Q was formed waiting for taxis to come and then a Garda drove by and told security that they were no longer letting taxis in and drove off without explanation…people than walked down side lanes that had no light, as told by the gardai to do so. Security kicked a fuss and gardai finally let taxis in.
Complete lack of org and telling people to walk in unsafe areas!!!!
No trouble on thurs as it was an older crowd who were there for the music!
Work with young people…anyone of them going said they had little interest in shm….they were just going for the drinking session!!!
well, i seen Gardai at the gig. and didn’t hear of any escalation of violence nor did i see any incidences! was at Slane for oasis and MCD were promoters for that one. they weren’t scanning tickets at gate so there was more people there than 80000. its possible this may have been a contributory factor for SHM gig but can’t be sure! wasn’t there! anyone who was there would tell you. so one can’t can’t it on youth culture. you wouldn’t leave a bunch of teenagers alone at home without adult supervision so why apply it to huge crowds? obviously the young people at it should behave but let’s face it, kids rebel and will act out. so MCD should have tightened up on security for all gigs taking place to prevent breakouts of violence.
I just MUST vote for him in the next elections just because of these honest, straight from the heart comments!
It wouldn’t have happened with Jim Aiken Promotions.
They need to step up security an stop cutting corners. They need metal detectors that work. And sniffer dogs at the main enterances to these events. Ive been to many of these in ireland and uk and uk was much better handled and the police presence and sniffer dogs deffo had a big effect. This was creamfields and they made me walk all the way back to my tent to get my id when entering the arena area. Ive never had a problem getting into any of these events since i was 16 including sometimes getting beer
Could be something to do with the content, ya think?
oh yeah, rant mode is go, performers – it is your FANS who are going missing, getting stabbed, make a stand or accept your part/responsibility/legacy.. oh no, poor performers – its nothing to do with them… they have everything to do with everything.. radio stations, media hacks, security firms, cops, parents, law makers, 50 year old DJs loving the latest hit from some degenerate tramp ten times a day with the pay for play/advertiaing , yeah you know who she is, oh and it is great FUN getting high in this former tiger state, supermarket small shop cheap liqour parasites, not to talk of the people who can raise a baton to a few sad hippies when they have half a
Take a breath!
Mr Shatter, where were u when we need u most?
Toureag could you have another go..I must be slow but I don’t know what you’re saying!
These are the promoters who allow this kind of crap to happen, but let their security wade in and break up a small moshpit made up of no more than 10-15 lads at another of their gigs. And this was also at the gig where the atmosphere before the gates opened was amazingly laid back and relaxed.
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