Galway Advertiser 2009/GA_2009_04_23/GA_2304_E1_018.pdf 

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18 N E W S

www.advertiser.ie

April 23 2009

Teen flicks lit cig butt City to get more at garda, court hears than fifty new taxi ranks
BY MARTINA NEE A case in which a teenager flicked a lit cigarette butt at a garda has been adjourned for the preparation of a Probation Services Report. Aaron Higgins (18) with an address at 116 Coiste Na Mara, Oranmore, was brought before Judge Mary Fahy last Monday and pleaded guilty to being intoxicated in a public place, threatening and abusive behaviour, and for failing to give his name and address on November 8, 2008, at Frenchfort, Oranmore. Garda Aidan Quinn gave evidence that at 12.40am on the Old Dublin Road he stopped a number of youths and started taking down their details, however, the defendant who was highly intoxicated failed to give his name. Garda Quinn asked Higgins for his name three times and he continued to refuse to co-operate. When Garda Quinn asked a fourth time Higgins, who has no previous convictions, "flicked a lit cigarette butt" at him. "To flick a lit cigarette at anyone, not to mention a garda, is totally unacceptable," said a shocked Judge Fahy. "I had too much to drink," explained the defendant. His father said that he had been unaware of the cigarette incident but that his son was "in general a good lad". He apologised for his son's behaviour. "You didn't think this was serious enough to even go to a solicitor," replied Judge Fahy, who warned that a conviction could be a serious blot on the young man's record. She advised the defendant to seek legal advice. The case was later adjourned to June 15 for the preparation of a Probation Report. BY KERNAN ANDREWS Within the coming weeks, Galway city could have 59 new taxi ranks with another set due to come on stream before the end of the year. Currently there are not enough taxi ranks in the city to cater for all the taxi drivers. Following various meetings between the city manager Joe MacGrath and the Galway Taxi Association, 59 new ranks have been identified. Of these 11 would be full time ranks, five of them outside the Hotel Rio in Salthill, three outside the AIB in Salthill, and three at the Ballybane Road. The remaining 48 will be part time ranks. Eight of them will be in Market Street; two in Eyre Square; nine in Middle Street; eight in Bridge Street; eight in Merchant's Road; 10 in Raven Terrace; and three outside Claude's in Salthill. At Monday's city council meeting it was decided that the 59 already identified spaces would go forward for public consultation. Changes may also need to be made to the bylaws to allow the ranks to proceed. The city council will be examining other locations with a view to turning them into taxi ranks later this year.

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