Chair of Mid-Ulster District Council, Councillor Frances Burton, has expressed disappointment that not one single breach of the legislation prohibiting drinking in public places, has been reported to the Council in the past 12 months for fines to be issued. Anyone refusing to comply would be committing an offence and could be issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice. In its own response, Mid-Ulster District Council officers made it clear they did not support any such involvement. They stated: “The enforcement of public drinking restrictions, particularly in potentially volatile situations, would place an additional burden on Council officers. “The proposed powers would potentially place Council officers in a range of challenging and confrontational situations without the necessary legal coverage.