As chair of the Fianna Fáil Dublin Parliamentary Party, Mary met with Assistant Garda Commissioner Angela Willis to dicuss the findings of her crime and anti social behaviour survey.
The survey, which took in the views of almost 1500 people, found that almost 90% of respondents supported Fianna Fáil’s call for a 24 hour, 7 day a week criminal District court in Dublin to ensure offenders could be brought immediately before the District court.
The survey further disclosed that over 65% of respondents had personally witnessed anti-social behaviour in the city centre, and over 90% believed that such behaviour has worsened over the past decade.
In response to these alarming figures and recent attacks in the city, the Fianna Fáil Parliamentary Party passed a motion advocating for the following actions:
- Dedicated community Gardaí deployed on a Small Area Policing basis
- Dedicated Gardaí deployed to public transport
- 24/7 Criminal District Court
- Targeted approach from Gardaí, DCC Estate Management, Area Management and Justice Diversion Programmes to achieve a zero tolerance of drug dealing, anti-social and criminal behaviour in public spaces and residential complexes
- Minimum 60 minutes foot or pedal bike patrols by Gardaí on every shift
- Proactive monitoring and enforcement of bail conditions for those awaiting trial
- Community service and restorative justice for those convicted
- Review of location and hours of operation of Garda stations in Dublin with a view to planning for additional Garda stations to serve growing areas of population.
The meeting with Assistant Commissioner Willis was a productive, open dialogue with the discussion focusing on collaborative strategies to enhance policing efforts and how to best improve the judicial process to better serve the needs of the public.
Anti-social behaviour not only affects the quality of life for Dubliners but also erodes the sense of community and safety that is essential for our city’s well-being. Mary is committed to working closely with law enforcement to implement practical measures that will have a lasting positive impact on our communities.
