As Chair of the Joint Policing Committee for Dublin Central I am very concerned over the horrific and upsetting reports from the the Swedish House Mafia concert in the Phoenix Park yesterday evening. The reported stabbings and deaths due to drug overdose of young people out socialising are every parent’s worst nightmare and do not accurately reflect crime levels in the local area.

The stats for assaults and public order offences in the local area have been falling and the stabbings at the concert, although very worrying, do not reflect general crime levels in the area.

I have been in contact with the Gardai and understand they made a number of arrests before and during the event.  I will follow-up on these reports over the coming days and I will ask the OPW and the event organisers to attend the next meeting of the local policing forum to answer and address concerns from the local community.

In the meantime, I would appeal to anybody who was at the concert or might have any relevant information to contact Blanchardstown Garda Station on 01 6667000 or at any other Garda station. 

My thoughts are with the parents and families of the young people who died because of substance abuse and those young people recovering from the stabbing.

Mary