On-the-spot fines for being drunk

[Abrad]

news.bbc.co.uk
Anyone caught being drunk in public in the Republic of Ireland now faces an on-the-spot fine.

New regulations allow gardaí to issue a fixed-penalty notice to anyone who has committed a public order offence.

The offender then has the option of either facing prosecution through the courts or of paying a one-off fixed fine.

This is 100 euro for being drunk in public or 140 euro for being drunk and disorderly.

Once issued with a fine, offenders have up to 28 days to pay.

Justice Minister Dermot Ahern said that the policy would hit offenders "in the pocket - where it will really hurt".

The legislation follows a series of measures introduced last month to tackle public disorder in which gardaí were given the power to confiscate alcohol if public disorder was feared.

The aim of the new measures is to save Garda time by removing the necessity for public order offenders to be prosecuted in court.

The regulations, which Mr Ahern claims will allow gardaí to make more efficient and effective use of their resources, also enable them to direct a person to leave an area peacefully if they have become a nuisance.