Calls for task force to be set up to tackle anti-social behaviour
By Aideen O'Flaherty
A COUNCILLOR is calling for the establishment of a task force to tackle issues with anti-social behaviour and criminality in the Rathfarnham/Templeogue-Terenure Local Electoral Area, and is encouraging locals to report instances of anti-social behaviour and attempted robberies to gardai.
Emma Murphy, a Fianna Fail councillor for Rathfarnham, mentioned issues with anti-social behaviour in Firhouse and Ballycullen, which have been posted on social media, and a viral video of the alleged robbery of a woman in the car park of a Knocklyon supermarket.
A woman allegedly being robbed at a Knocklyon supermarket.
The woman in the CCTV footage, who appeared to be the victim of a robbery, was distracted by a man while she was about to get into the driver’s side of her car.
When she got out of her car and spoke to the first man standing at the driver’s side, a second man opened and reached into the passenger side of her car while she was distracted.
The CCTV video has been widely circulated online, and has been viewed over 240,000 times.
Cllr Murphy told The Echo: “Over the last number of weeks there have been social media posts [about anti-social behaviour]…and I’m calling for the area to have its own task force because, at the moment, we don’t have one.
“Anti-social behaviour is becoming more prominent.”
At last week’s monthly meeting of the Rathfarnham/Templeogue-Terenure Area Committee, Cllr Murphy tabled a motion where she stated that “there has been a significant increase in the number of reports in crime and instances of anti-social behaviour in parts of the Rathfarnham/Templeogue-Terenure Local Election Areas.”
The crux of her motion, which was unanimously carried, was “that this Area Committee agrees to write to the relevant Minister and senior gardai calling for additional resources to combat the problem.”
Speaking to The Echo, Cllr Murphy said that while people are posting about issues, such as attempted break-ins, online, that they should also report these instances to gardai so that they can get an accurate picture of the level of issues in the area and put in extra resources to combat it.
A letter about anti-social behaviour in the area will now be issued to the Department of Justice and senior gardai as a result of Cllr Murphy’s motion being passed, which she hopes will lead to the establishment of a task force and increased garda resources in the area.
