Give Dublin Back the St Patrick’s Day Festival
“Now that the dust has settled on another St. Patrick’s Festival it is time to take stock and review the programmes, operations and structures of the Festival Committee itself”, according to former Lord Mayor of Dublin, Councillor Dermot Lacey.
“The fact that there is not one single representative of young people or even one single elected representative of the people of Dublin on the Festival Board is in itself a disgrace and clearly an omission that should not be allowed to continue”.
“The fact that it was not possible to restrict the sale of alcohol on St. Patrick’s Day itself and to moderate the opening hours of Pubs and Off-Licences is a further example of the areas that need to be dealt with before next year”.
“Yes, some progress has been made over recent years to improve the format and content of the Parade and Festival Programme, however the failure to engage fully with all interested sectors of Dublin society is self-evident and now needs to be reviewed”.
“With a staff of twenty-five people, a considerable budget and the backdrop of Dublin City at a time of major media attention, the Festival Board should now engage in a public review of the Festival itself and their own structures. As an immediate step they should seek the co-option of a representative of either the City of Dublin Youth Service Board or the National Youth Council of Ireland and an elected representative of Dublin City Council”.
