STRONG measures to stop drugs pushers and traffickers from promoting dances or running a licensed premises were introduced by the Minister for Justice Mrs Owen in the Dail last night.
The Licensing (Combating Drug Abuse) Bill focuses "specifically on the problem of drugs in places such as dance halls, pubs and other licensed and unlicensed premises", Mrs Owen said.
The Minister added that the Bill "gives the gardai clear, unambiguous powers to deal with drug abuse in dance halls, pubs, and other places of entertainment by getting court orders to close down the offending places".
However Fianna Fail's justice spokesman described the Bill as "cynical window dressing". Mr John O'Donoghue said the fines in the legislation were "paltry". He said the Bill also failed to deal with unscrupulous licence holders who preyed upon young people by charging them £1 for water at a dance halls. Such operators would only understand strong, tough penalties he added.