I am informed by the Garda authorities that the areas referred to are within the Store Street Garda District and that a proactive approach is being applied to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour in these areas with the emphasis being placed on known locations associated with this type of behaviour. Policing measures are in place to address difficulties being experienced by local residents and businesses including the designation of certain areas as hot spots for such criminality with additional high-visibility patrols being directed by local Garda management, including regular patrols by uniform and plain clothes units, including the Community Policing and Garda Mountain-Bike Units, local Detective and Drug Unit personnel, supplemented as required by Divisional Crime Task Force and Traffic Corps personnel. In addition, the area is covered by 44 Garda CCTV Cameras which are monitored on a 24 hour basis.
I am further informed that a plain clothes policing operation has been put in place in Amiens Street and Talbot Street environs to specifically target criminal activity and anti-social behaviour.
Local Garda management closely monitors such patrols, and other operational strategies in place, in conjunction with crime trends and policing needs of the communities in these areas to ensure optimum use is made of Garda resources, and the best possible Garda service is provided to the public.
I am also informed that a number of Garda Operations are being conducted in the North Inner City which actively combat anti-social behaviour and drug related criminality. These include Operation Stilts which utilises a high visibility presence to intensively police identified areas including O’Connell Street, Marlborough Street, Talbot Street, North Earl St, Abbey St, Eden Quay, the Boardwalk, Wolfe Tone Street, Parnell Street and adjacent side streets by tackling rigorously the activities of persons involved in the commission of anti-social behaviour and drug use and dealing offences.
The Garda authorities also engage extensively with local communities, businesses and others relevant parties with a view to addressing concerns of this nature. In particular, local Garda Management in Store Street were part of the multi-stakeholder Strategic Response Group (SRG) who issued the report ‘A Better City for all’, and are presently part of the implementation group which is tasked with implementing the recommendations contained in the report to address public substance misuse and perceived anti-social behaviour in Dublin’s City Centre.
I can further assure the Deputies that I am in regular contact with the Garda Commissioner about all aspects of policing and community safety with a view to ensuring that the streets of our cities and towns are safe for all.
