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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 2 Apr 1992

Vol. 418 No. 2

Adjournment Debate. - Policing O'Connell Street, Dublin.

Thank you for allowing me to raise this issue in the House. I regret that I have reason to do so but O'Connell Street, as the premier street in our capital city, was once very attractive and renowned throughout the world. It was a well-known tourist area and people strolled and window-shopped in it. It was an area for courting couples and families, particularly in the evenings and at weekends.

Regrettably, this position has changed drastically in recent years and O'Connell Street has now become a no-go area, particularly after 8 p.m. People are now afraid to walk down this street, groups congregate and intimidate ordinary people, which is totally unacceptable. It is up to the Garda authorities to ensure that people can walk on our streets in safety.

On St. Patrick's Day the situation got completely out of hand. The Garda are aware of this and I hope it will never happen again. Undesirable elements loitering in the vicinity of the fountain are causing grave concern; I have been informed that recently a youth in broad daylight stood on the statue, took off his clothes and urinated into the fountain in front of the general public. Where were the Garda? Tourists having a meal in a nearby restaurant were heard to ask what is becoming of Dublin. I am also aware that on other occasions tourists were intimidated crossing the street, they were chased into a restaurant and the Garda had to be called to escort them from it.

From the point of view of planning, O'Connell Street is a disaster area. I say that as a public representative. While I accept the need for some fast food outlets, it is totally unacceptable that our main city street has 20 fast food outlets and a number of casinos, some of which are attracting undesirable elements to the area. The congregation of these groups and intimidation is obviously affecting trade in the area. I am aware that at present 30 employees in one area are on protective notice because of the drop in trade as a direct consequence of these activities.

I watched the Minister on the "Late Late Show" last Friday night and he was made well aware of the great concern and anger of people present. In the short term, extra resources by way of manpower and equipment will have to be provided and there will also have to be a visible presence. However, this cannot be at the expense of other areas in the city, which seems to be the solution at present.

We must ensure that the needs of many of the young people congregating in O'Connell Street are met. Recreational facilities will have to be provided in some of the urban communities around Dublin so that young people have an alternative to loitering on street corners in the city centre. This is a major issue and I hope the Minister can give a commitment to provide resources and facilities for young people so that the problem will be addressed.

Deputy Ryan raised the question of policing O'Connell Street, the main street and thoroughfare of our capital city. This matter had already been raised publicly with me in the course of my recent appearance on the "Late Late Show" and I might be forgiven for thinking that Deputy Ryan got his inspiration to raise the issue on the Adjournment from comments on that show.

I did not need the Minister's appearance on the "Late Late Show" to inspire me to make such comments.

As Deputies will be aware, the specific problem raised with me about O'Connell Street on the "Late Late Show" is not a problem peculiar to O'Connell Street alone but is one which can arise in any place which is frequented by a large number of people late at night. Essentially, the problem is one of fear and trepidation caused to passers-by because of the conduct of young people who congregate in large groups at street corners or elsewhere and usually after pub closing times. The young people concerned are usually boisterous and inebriated. They are wont to consume drink on the street even though they are under age to buy. I gave a very clear undertaking on the "Late Late Show" to do something about this problem and I want to repeat that undertaking now in this House. I am intent on ensuring that law abiding citizens of every age and condition can walk the streets of our cities and towns without fear and without being taunted or verbally abused.

Since my appearance on the "Late Late Show", I have obtained a report from the Garda authorities about the incidence of acts of intimidation in O'Connell Street. They have informed me that people on the street late at night can be apprehensive when they meet groups of young people. In such situations people can feel intimidated even though they may be at no risk whatsoever and in many cases there is no question of any criminal or abusive behaviour on the part of the young people concerned. However, situations do arise in which there is a very real threat to people on the street and this behaviour is not acceptable. The Garda authorities inform me that gardaí on duty in the O'Connell Street area regularly intervene in such situations and that charges can be and are brought against persons who engage in this behaviour while drunk and disorderly or who constitute a breach of the peace.

I want to make it clear to this House, however, that although more law is required in this area, the Garda are far from operating in a total legal vacuum in this respect. First, the drink laws were updated and substantially strengthened in 1988 to deal with the problem of underage drinking. We now have very wide-ranging and comprehensive provisions in this regard on our Statute Book. The law is there and it will be vigorously enforced.

The second aspect relates to the existing law on public order. The Garda have certain powers already, including the power of arrest for breaches of the peace, which can be used in these cases. However, I accept that there may be an argument for additional provisions. That is why my Department are currently in the process of preparing draft legislation to modernise the law in certain relevant respects as recommended by the Law Reform Commission. These new provisions will apply to adults as well as to persons under 18. They include the creation of offences relating to: (a) persons being found drunk (or under the influence of drugs) in such circumstances that they are a danger to themselves or others; (b) the use of threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour in a public place; and (c) disorderly conduct as, for instance, shouting, singing or boisterous conduct between the hours of 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. in circumstances which cause annoyance to other persons in the neighbourhood. These new offences will carry the power of arrest and liability to substantial fines and, if drink is involved, I intend that the Garda will have the power to confiscate it on the spot. In spite of the already full agenda of law reform which is being addressed in my Department I can tell the House that it is my intention to bring forward the necessary legislation to deal with street intimidation as quickly as possible.

I want to turn now to the level of Garda resources deployed in the O'Connell Street area. In all there are five Garda stations in close proximity to O'Connell Street, including a station on O'Connell Street itself, at 44 Upper O'Connell Street. There are over 630 gardaí assigned to these five stations which gives the O'Connell Street area one of the highest concentrations of Garda manpower in the country. Of course, there are special policing considerations which have to be considered in relation to the O'Connell Street area. During the day the area caters for a multitude of shoppers and houses very many retail, financial and other business interests. At night the area is frequented by large numbers of people who attend social and cultural events. There are many opportunities for street criminals to ply their trade in the area and the Garda Síochána are fully aware that a constant Garda presence is required in the area to provide the level of policing necessary to safeguard the public and to prevent crime.

Garda patrols, both uniform and plainclothes, are operated round the clock on O'Connell Street. Arrangements were made recently to augment the level of patrolling and covert surveillance activity by the Garda in the area during the late night and early morning period. This has afforded additional protection to those citizens who are in the area at this time.

I want to conclude by informing the House that the need for further additional manpower to be deployed in the O'Connell Street area will be addressed when the next group of trainee gardaí graduate from the Garda college in June.

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