Adamstown Garda clinic opens to warm welcome from locals

A GARDA clinic opened last week in Adamstown – a move much welcomed by many residents living in the fast-growing Lucan community.

The clinic invites residents to call into Adamstown Youth and Community Centre every Wednesday for consultations and support between 7.30pm and 9.30pm.

Repeated calls have been made for new garda stations in areas where there is demand across South Dublin County.

At the November JPC Policing Meeting at South Dublin County Council, which saw the attendance of Garda Síochána Commissioner Drew Harris, local representatives told Harris of the need for new garda stations to assist growing towns experiencing challenges with anti-social activities, especially in Citywest and Adamstown.

At the meeting, Harris said he could see the addition of pop-up style premises attached to public buildings as part of a solution.

The Commissioner cited the provision of smaller stations, noting the O’Connell Street model, which he said they could do elsewhere “attached to civic buildings, even have some situated in council offices, or other council property, or in shopping centres, somewhere that is accessible.”

Welcoming the launch of the facility on Wednesday night, TD Emer Higgins (FG), who was one of the reps recently calling for the introduction of an Adamstown clinic, says the move follows the “recent success of a similar clinic in Citywest.”

“I’m glad to see our calls for a clinic have been heard and I encourage everyone in the Lucan and Adamstown area to take advantage of this resource,” said Deputy Higgins.

Caroline Brady, a Fine Gael Local Education Authority (LEA) candidate for Lucan, said it is her hope that the new Adamstown clinic will be “instrumental in creating stronger safer communities.”

“It will be a really useful resource in reporting and tackling anti-social behaviour and provide people with the opportunity to get forms stamped without having to get down to Lucan Garda Station,” said Brady.