Sir, - Buskers on Grafton Street are usually moved on or arrested by the Garda for causing an obstruction.
Christmas Eve is arguably the busiest shopping day of the year. About 9.20 that morning I was walking down Grafton Street and came across a stage with speakers and an RTE outside-broadcast van. It was the Gay Byrne radio show. Gay, being the consummate showman that he is, had gathered a large crowd who were grandly entertained by Gay and his assembled musicians and singers.
Across the street from the stage were 10 uniformed Gardai complete with yellow fluorescent tops and a host of crash barriers, presumably to add to the obstruction. An hour later I was coming back up the street and the crowd was considerably bigger, making it difficult and uncomfortable to pass. The crowd was larger than any I have seen watching a street entertainer - And the people were enjoying themselves, I might add. The gardai were still there, just watching (and minding the crash barriers - someone might nick one).
I have two questions. If a citizen cannot legally perform in the street, why can two State bodies (RTE and the Garda) combine to do so? And, in the light of the court case against recent U2 concerts, did RTE have planning permission? - Yours etc.,
From Quentin Reynolds
Orchard Terrace, Dublin 7.