Gardaí in Co Kerry will seek to curb pub and club late-night opening times in an effort to control street brawls and public order offences in the county's major tourist towns when the courts resume in September.
All licensing courts in District Area 17 - which includes Killarney, Kenmare, Dingle and Tralee - will hear applications from senior gardaí for exemptions to be granted no later than 2am. Currently the cut-off is 2.30am with drinking-up time to 3am.
In 2005 the district courts in Tralee and Killarney granted 2,530 special exemption orders. These allow alcohol to be served up to 2.30am during functions and dances.
This is the second attempt this year to stop late-night violence by reducing opening times. In January, Tralee Town Council opted for a forum involving gardaí and vintners after pub and club owners opposed moves to curb late openings.
Residents had complained of pub-goers urinating on the streets, noise, brawls and threats to taxi drivers in the town.
Brawls involving up to 100 people in violent attacks on each other were now not uncommon in Kerry towns, Supt Pat Sullivan said this week.
Vintners in Kerry are in discussion with gardaí on the matter.