Cork filling station receives wine licence despite garda objection
Judge grants wine licence after hearing garda obection based on concerns about public order issues
9 March 2015
Garda objections to a new wine licence being granted in Cork’s Douglas area, included public order problems and people drinking in bushes.
The wine licence was sought for Centra at the newly re-opened Texaco at South Douglas Road.
In spite of the objection raised, the application proved successful at Cork District Court.
John O’Leary, director of the Kevin O’Leary group in Cork, applied for the licence and Sergeant Miriam McGuire said there was no problem with the character of the applicant.
Judge Olann Kelleher nevertheless asked Sergeant McGuire why there was an objection to the licence. Inspector Deasy answered, stating: “The State would say there is adequate facilities in the area for the provision of alcohol.”
There are already 13 licensed premises in the area, selling wine or all kinds of alcohol.
The Irish Examiner reports that Judge Kelleher also asked Kevin O’Leary if he believed there should be a laissez-faire attitude adopted towards the granting of licences. He replied: “I don’t feel there should be a limit on the number of licences once the retailers are acting responsibly.”
The judge granted the licence, noting gardaí had accepted the proposition that the consumption of wine tended not to be linked to public order problems. However, he added: “I don’t know where we are going with all the licences.”
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