Behaviour of Portlick party-goers described as 'barbaric'

Party-goers at the popular Portlick amenity area, on the banks of Lough Ree, are starting forest fires, drinking in public and leaving excrement and toilet paper behind them. That's according to John Butler, the secretary of the Portlick scout campsite management committee. Mr Butler, a former Fianna Fail councillor, said the Portlick scout camp had attracted a number of visiting groups from various parts of Ireland and overseas in recent times. However the uncontrolled behaviour of party-goers in the locality was becoming a major headache for the group, he stated. The Portlick scouts group is calling on Westmeath County Council to introduce byelaws which would help stamp out this kind of behaviour. "One particular difficulty we are experiencing is the late-night gathering of young adults in the forest for the purpose of partying," Mr Butler said in a written submission to the local authority. He stated that this was causing concern among scout leaders and added that the Gardai had to be called on a number of weekends. He said that, last year alone, the scout group had to extinguish more than 20 fires following parties. "Along with lighting fires, they cut trees down and leave rubbish behind them. One of the problems associated with this particular type of activity is the amount of human excrement and toilet paper that is left lying around the area when the revellers have gone home." Mr Butler said there were no public byelaws to stop this kind of behaviour and he called on the council to take action in relation to it. "We feel that, if some level of protection is not put in place, a forest fire could easily get out of control. This would be resulting directly from the partying that goes on. The visitors we have visiting the scout campsite are not happy to be woken up by party revellers and to be in fear of the safety of the children they are responsible for. "On behalf of Portlick scout campsite, I am appealing to (the council) to produce some plan of action that would protect this lovely amenity area, and give the Gardai the level of power to prevent this barbaric behaviour destroying this amenity." Last December, the council stated that the "first fully looped walk" at the Portlick amenity area would be in place before the summer. In its budget, the local authority said the Portlick amenity would be enhanced this year with the assistance of Failte Ireland.