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Actually, I had a look into this in the last few minutes and it turns out that Public Drunkenness is an offence, but look how it is defined:

From The Irish Statute Book[/url:2nmvhztx]
[quote:2nmvhztx]It shall be an offence for any person to be present in any public place while intoxicated to such an extent as would give rise to a reasonable apprehension that he might endanger himself or any other person in his vicinity.[/quote:2nmvhztx]

Basically, it's talking about being falling down drunk.

I'd say the most likely scenario is that anyone who takes it to court will win their case. There's too many grey areas to secure a criminal conviction. I'd say that they're counting on most people not wanting the hassle or expense of going to court when the alternative is to take a hit of €100.

Especially when the details of any drunken antics will be read out in open court and become a matter of record. "Then m'lud, the defendant placed a traffic cone on his head and started doing The Safety Dance..."

"Poc":31k7qrer wrote: I'd say that they're counting on most people not wanting the hassle or expense of going to court when the alternative is to take a hit of €100.

Especially when the details of any drunken antics will be read out in open court and become a matter of record.[/quote:31k7qrer] <!-- s:D --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="" title="Very Happy" /><!-- s:D --> The "Bog Cuttings" sections of The Phoenix are priceless for this sort of material.

&amp;quot;Poc&amp;quot;:3lua9cg9 wrote: "Then m'lud, the defendant placed a traffic cone on his head and started doing The Safety Dance..."[/quote:3lua9cg9] An essential teaching tool. That's being nothing more than public spirited.

Well Lads,
I was talking to a menber of the Gardai about this and he basically said that it is down to each individual discression to identify who is going to be fined ( I don't like the sound of that at all <!-- s:!: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_exclaim.gif" alt="" title="Exclamation" /><!-- s:!: --> ) as judgement differs from person to person I really can't see how that is going to work at all. On the positive side he told me I'de have to be completely out of my mind and lying in the street before he would issue people with the fine!! at least I'll only have to pay up once a year on new years eve so I may as well start saving for the fine now:-)

My two cents worth.

Mez.