A review published yesterday by Justice Alan Shatter into the findings of the Swedish House Mafia gig in Phoenix Park has concluded that Phoenix Park is not a 'suitable' venue for electro music gigs and there was insufficient security on the day. Following the nine stabbings and two overdoses at the Swedish House Mafia gig in Phoenix Park on July 7th Shatter called for a review from the Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan.
The main findings of the report state that the city centre venue was not suitable for live 'electric music' concerts and recommends that the promoter should stipulate the type of music or artist they wish to perform and give a detailed risk assessment based on the type of audience expected to attend an event when applying for a permit.
Other findings include that the Event control Centre was held not to be fit and additional accommodation was requested from the promoter but never materialised and limited access to CCTV was also highlighted in the report.
Callinan also criticised not having the appropriate security in place to deal with the demographic of concert goers and that security were unclear on policies of checking ID's and dealing with drug abuse and drug dealing at the site. He said that'There are a number of lessons to be learned by all agencies in respect of the staging of large outdoor concerts in the Phoenix Park.' And added that 'It is now clear that had An Garda Síochána been fully briefed on the likely conduct of the patrons associated with the Swedish House Mafia concert a separate (third) public order unit would have been employed within the concert venue'
MCD managing Director Denis Desmond yesterday issued a statement in which he asked for the full report to be published and called for a full, independent public inquiry' to be undertaken into the events at the Swedish House Mafia gig.
