Councillors agree buskers are intrinsic to city’s reputation
Controls on noise levels and amplification – rather than the introduction of any permit system – seem likely to form the recommendations of a City Council committee set up to look at the busking issue in Galway.
The level of amplification being used by some busking acts along the city’s main inner retail artery was the main issued addressed at last Thursday’s City Council Environmental, Recreational and Amenity SPC.
However, Cllr. Padraig Conneely – a member of the Strategic Policy Committee – told the Galway City Tribune, there was a strong feeling that the City Council needed to ‘tread very warily’ in term of trying to regulate what he described as an integral part of the city’s intrinsic cultural tradition.
“There is a consensus that the issue of excessively high levels of amplification from Williamsgate Street down to Quay Street has to be dealt with in a fair manner to everyone but any suggestion of a permit system for buskers will definitely be ruled out.
“Over recent weeks, the city has attracted fantastic publicity from the singing days of world superstar, Ed Sheeran, as a young teenage busker on Shop Street – we certainly need to be very careful in proposing any kind of restriction on the street entertainers,” said Cllr. Conneely.
He said that Galway was known across the world for the ‘sheer vibrancy’ of its city streets with entertainers of all types performing for the public and in most cases providing tremendous enjoyment.
“They are a treat for everyone – both locals and visitors – these are treasures that we do not want to lose,” said Cllr. Conneely.