Drinking on buses outlawed in the North

[amallon]

Drinking on buses outlawed in the North
23 June 2011

GAA fans in Ulster face hefty fines if they are caught drinking on buses on their way to matches after new legislation was introduced by Northern Ireland's Sports Minister Caral Ni Chuilin.

The Irish Examiner reports that GAA fans travelling from the south to matches in Northern Ireland could also be affected by the new laws, which cover all sporting fixtures in the six counties. The new legislation decrees that PSNI officers are permitted to board any bus carrying fans to a sporting fixture and if they discover alcohol on board, the bus company is liable to be fined.

Stormont has also passed legislation that would see fans fined a four-figure sum and face possible imprisonment if they encroach on the playing field to celebrate with their team after games.

However, Ulster Council delegates at last weekend's GAA Central Council meeting pointed out that enforcing the rule would be difficult as PSNI officers are rarely on duty at inter-county matches in Northern Ireland.

------------------------------
Seen the above on Hoganstand.  I can understand why soccer supporters aren't allowed on the pitch but its a scandal if Stormont ban GAA supporters from the pitch.  Are they just doing the GAA's dirty work as we know Croke Park's stance on this.

[donegal lad]

Well if its the case of trying to keep fans of the pitch they will b hoping Tyrone win it because there will be no keeping donegal or derry supporters of the pitch if they win it

[tommysmith]

Well if its the case of trying to keep fans of the pitch they will b hoping Tyrone win it because there will be no keeping donegal or derry supporters of the pitch if they win it

They will hardly come down to Clones to fine them.

[borderfox]

Are these people allowed a drink on buses on the way home?

[seafoid]

How about drinking tea out of car boots? 

[mylestheslasher]

This law could be bad for football attendances, sure half the armagh crowd won't go if they can't get drunk before the match.

[whiskeysteve]

...why man invented the hip flask

[PAULD123]

This is a ridculous law that totally discriminates and most importantly it contradicts the fundamental legal presumption of innocence. If you can drink legally then it should not be allowed to prevent you from drinking on the basis that you may commit a crime. It assumes that you WILL commit a crime if you are drinking.

I'd be fairly confident that on a challenge this new legislation would be shown to impinge on the European human right to act without interferance from a governement preemptive of unlawful activity. There are plenty examples of Europe over-turning local laws which contradict it's more powerful laws.

From a personal point of view I do not drink and I always drive in my own car to games, but I've had my days on buses and booze and I wouldn't deny anyone else the pleasure (or next day pain). It is a disgraceful law which criminalises the innocent

[ONeill]

This is a real blow to Armagh supporters. On match days they're going to realise how crap their senior side is.

[moysider]

Well if its the case of trying to keep fans of the pitch they will b hoping Tyrone win it because there will be no keeping donegal or derry supporters of the pitch if they win it

Would Derry have enough support to muster an invasion of a pitch?

[PAULD123]

I looked up the Northern Ireland Assembly legislation webpage. There is nothing there that allows for this at all, there is no announcement from the assembly and there is virtually nothing on the web about this.

In fact if you google "Caral Ní Chuilín bus drinking" the first hit is this forum itself and the only newspaper hit at all is the Irish Examiner. I wonder where the Examiner got the story from because absolutely no other publication seems to have picked it up.

Not all journalism is good journalism

[Lecale2]

Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 2011, Part 4, Chapter 2.

[HiMucker]

I thought it was already illegal to have alcohol on a vehicle on the roads?  Is their not some law that states that even unopened alcohol has to be in the boot?

[sheamy]

going to a game with Armagh involved will never be the same again. A sad day.

[PAULD123]

The possession rule would be simple enough to get round. Basically get all the drink in a central place and make sure no one person is touching it when the cops get on board. They will ask who is in possession and everyone denies it. everyone says that someone is in possession but its not them. The cops will charge everyone.

then in court every single person must steadfastly claim that they were not the actual person in possession and point out that it is a duty of the cops to prove fact and not just balance of probabilities. The court can only convict the person that was actually in possession and not just everyone because they "may" have been in possession. Ultimately provided everyone sticks to the same story the case is frustrated because there is always doubt as to who it was that actually possessed it.

The cops could check credit card receipts and take statements from local shops but they would never do it. It is the same as when two people go to court and claim either one of them might have been driving a car that was caught speeding on camera. The court will be annoyed but ultimately unless they can prove which it was then the case collapses. (look up Christine & Neil Hamilton speeding case for reference). But don't for god's sake be caught with a can in your hand!

The bigger problem is that the driver is also indictable and the cops would definitely do him. So he'll probably try to stop you brining drink on board in the first place.