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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Galway City Council is to take legal action against the owners of a sex shop in the city for the alleged misuse of the premises as a sex cinema.
Galway City Council is to bring the manager of Jade Winters adult shop to court on Wednesday 4 June for an unauthorised use of the building. The shop has permission to operate as a retail outlet, but not as a cinema.
The City Council has traced the shop's manager, John Kelleher, and served his solicitors, a Cork firm, with a court order. Mr Kelleher was unreachable at time of going to print.
City Councillor Padraig Conneely, who has led the charge against the shop, said he is "delighted" with the news.
With regard to the wider issue of sex shops, Cllr Conneely said there was "not a whole lot you can do about a shop".
"There are already two of them in the city, they have planning permission for a shop but not for a cinema. A lot of the business they do is for things like hen parties. When I went up for the look myself, I saw two young women coming out with bags of stuff, you know, the dildos and blow up dolls and all that type of thing. It's done all over the country.
"The only way you can really object is if the residents cause a fuss, and that's starting to look likely," he continued, saying that he had met with residents of Riverside who were ready to mount a campaign on the issue.
"People won't go into it because of all the publicity, and that will come up again when it goes to court."
Cllr Conneely has also written to the Chief Superintendent with regard to a criminal prosecution.
"I have asked the Chief Superintendent to investigate the illegality as well, but I have more control over the council than I have over the guards," he said.
The Censorship of Films Act 1923 provides that no film shall be exhibited in public unless the Film Censor had certified that it is suitable and a certificate is displayed to that effect. 'Indecent' and 'obscene' films will not be certified.
According to Ann O'Kelly of the Irish Film Censors Office, the censor has an inspector on the road who visits shops to ensure compliance. While Ms O'Kelly would not comment on the individual case, she said her office was aware of the cinema's operation.
However, if the shop's management can prove that it was operating as a private club, it would no longer fall under the censorship laws.
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