Clondalkin councillors want Ministers to stop using ‘gangland’ term

Clondalkin councillors are calling on the Minister for Justice, Frances Fitzgerald and her Government to drop the use of the term ‘gangland’ when referring to incidents of serious crime in the Clondalkin and West Dublin area.

The motion to write to the Minister asking for the Government to “refrain from using the term ‘gangland crime’ when talking about incidents in Clondalkin” was unanimously passed this week at a meeting.

Sinn Fein Cllr Mark Ward tabled the motion, and said the use of the term can affect people’s perception of the area.

There have been four murders linked to the Clondalkin area since late last year, with the murder of Neil Reilly this week being the latest, and Cllr Ward said: “The term gangland mitigates the Governments responsibility and is deflecting from the real issues.”

He went on to say: “I am calling on the Tanaiste, Frances Fitzgerald to increase Garda numbers in Clondalkin.

“There were three murders in a very short space of time prior to Christmas in the Clondalkin/Lucan area.

“Cutbacks to Gardaí resources are having a detrimental effect on the lives of residents of Clondalkin.

“Certain parts of Clondalkin are turning into no go areas with residents living in fear.

“I have met with residents who do not see the point in contacting their local Gardaí as they are not getting the response that they require.

“This is no way being critical of the Gardaí in Clondalkin who I have no doubt feel as frustrated as me in their inability to tackle crime due to being understaffed and under resourced.”

“I am inundated with residents contacting me in relation to Anti-Social behaviour in their estates.

“These issues include joy-riding, scramblers, open drug dealing and intimidation.

“These crimes are seemingly carried out with impunity. If the Garda number were increased it would elicit a speedier response and result in a decrease in Anti-Social behaviour.”

The motion to have the use of the word ‘gangland’ and for more garda resources  in Clondalkin was passed by all seven councillors who attended the meeting.

These included councillors from Sinn Fein, the Labour Party, Fine Gael, People Before Profit and one independent.