Councillor calling on community groups to help battle anti-social behaviour
By Laura Lyne
A CALL has been made to communities in West Tallaght by a local councillor to highlight and help tackle issues with anti-social behaviour. The councillor is encouraging residents and community groups to engage with their local representatives and gardaí.
Sinn Féin councillor Louise Dunne has been working with her party colleague councillor Cathal King in recent months to tackle the ongoing issues surrounding anti-social behaviour in the communities of West Tallaght, including Ard Mor, Glenshane, Rossfield, Russell Square, Brookview and Mac Uilliam.
Speaking to The Echo, Cllr Dunne said: “There seems to be no deterring of this behaviour. There are people living in fear, who are afraid to head to work because they don’t know what they’re going to come home to.
“It’s ongoing throughout estates. There are different forms of anti-social behaviour going on by two different groups, you have your crime and then there’s the intimidation and discrimination against vulnerable people.
“In particular, in Russell Square there’s a huge issue with windows being smashed, tyres being slashed on cars and houses being broken into. There have also been issues with illegal dumping in estates in both council housing and houses with an association.
“Obviously with association housing, the council is not responsible for dumping in those homes.”
Cllrs Dunne and King have taken a number of steps in recent months in an attempt to tackle the issue, including meeting with community groups and contacting the Superintendent of Tallaght Garda Station, Peter Duff, to highlight the concerns of residents.
Cllr Dunne told The Echo: “The residents, the gardaí and the council, are doing the best they can and they have been very accommodating to talk about this. The gardaí are hugely under-resourced.
“In an area that has a population that is the same as Limerick City, we only have one garda station to deal with crime and anti-social problems.
“The relationship that was there between the community and the gardaí seems to have been lost. People are not calling them, as they feel they are not getting enough of a response.
“I’ve been working with Cllr Cathal King and the community groups in these estates to try and find solutions.
“Tallaght is a brilliant community. There are so many good people, who helps others and there is a real sense of community there.
“Community groups can get in touch with us, raise their concerns and we can organise to meet with them. We’re calling on the community to work with us to try and tackle this problem.”
