More Gardai needed immediately – Dublin City Council

By Maurice Garvey

DUBLIN City Council (DCC) hav written to Garda Commissioner Nóirin O’Sullivan and Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald requesting an urgent meeting to address a lack of adequate garda resources in Ballyfermot.

An emergency motion by councillors Daithí Doolan and Paul Hand was passed at the area meeting last week, requesting the urgent allocation of additional gardai.

It also called for increased garda engagement and visibility on the ground with the people of Ballyfermot, Cherry Orchard, Chapelizod and Palmerstown.

Cllr Doolan said he has received a commitment from DCC that the CCTV camera in Cherry Orchard will be repaired and back in action within four weeks. In April the cameras suffered an attack by criminals and were knocked over by a stolen truck, a reflection on the high quality of the cameras.

It will cost DCC €20,000 to repair the security cameras, which were installed last year at a cost of €60,000.

“We have been promised two new gardai by the end of the year but that’s an insult. We could do with 22 new gardai, to be honest,” said Cllr Doolan.

DCC has said additional security measures will be required to ensure the cameras are protected, but cannot confirm a date when the camera will be re-installed for “security reasons.”