The Tanaiste has urged the Irish public to exercise moderation in their St Patrick's Day celebrations. Speaking at a press conference marking the start of the St Patrick's Festival, the Tanaiste, Eamon Gilmore said: "I think St Patrick's Day is an opportunity to celebrate things that are Irish. I think that people should enjoy St Patrick's Day but I would appeal to people to avoid the kind of excesses that we have sometimes seen over the years, particularly the kind of drinking in public places and streets [but] I think it has to be said that we're talking about a minority of people who engage in that, but it does cast a bad light on the country."
He continued, "St Patrick's Day is an opportunity to cast the country in a good light and I think that we all have a responsibility to do that."
