Northsiders blighted by all-night gangs

RESIDENTS of a Ballymun neighbourhood who are being tormented by drink and drug fuelled gangs are pleading with the council to remove a

“drinking den

? from a nearby public park.

According to locals, gangs congregate under the bandstand in Coultry Park several nights a week to drink and play music from the early evening and into the small hours of the morning.

They claim the bandstand acts as a shelter for this activity, which often escalates to the point of full-blown chaos.

“In fact, chaos doesn’t even begin to describe what goes on here some nights,

? said one Coultry Way resident who didn’t want to be identified.

“It’s absolutely ridiculous to have a whole neighbourhood at the mercy of these gangs who are drinking at the bandstand.

“They treat the bandstand like their local pub. They bring along their own chairs and play music and drink and do whatever else until all hours of the night.

“It’s not just at the weekend but during the week as well.

“We just don’t know what we’ll wake up to most nights.

“We’ve had our cars and windows smashed; our wheelie bins have been robbed and put under the bandstand where they’re then set on fire.

“The anti-social behaviour is like nothing I’ve ever seen before and I’ve been here a long time.

?

The local added:

“I just can’t understand why the council can’t remove the bandstand as this is at the root of all our problems.

?

It’s estimated that in the last six months alone the Fire Brigade has been called to extinguish fires at the bandstand in Coultry Park on six different occasions.

“I’ve been trying to highlight this situation for over a year but nothing’s been done to address the problem,

? the local resident added.

“We are just being left to put up with the consequences of the council’s inaction.

?

Local Sinn Fein representative Noeleen Reilly said it was a disgrace that residents were

“under siege

? from groups of youths who were making it their business to make residents’ lives as difficult as possible.

“It’s a crying shame that the park is being vandalised,

? she said.

“It should be a facility for all the residents of Coultry and neighbouring areas to use.
What is worse, however, is that people are having to protect their homes at 3am and 4am in the morning.

“House and car windows are being smashed along Coultry Way. If you’re lucky enough you will only have eggs thrown at your windows.

“This is no way for people to be living. It is an absolute nightmare for them.

?

Sinn Fein has called on Dublin City Council to remove the bandstand to deter anti-social behaviour.

“The regeneration was supposed to be a new start for people but many families are saying that anti-social behaviour is three and four times what it was 12 years ago,

? Ms Reilly stated.

“It is imperative that BRL (Ballymun Regeneration Limited) and the Department of Environment provide adequate funding to complete the regeneration.

“It can’t just be a case of building houses and apartments and leaving it at that. This happened in the 1960s and we all know where that left Ballymun.

?

A spokesperson for Dublin City Council said the council was aware of a level of anti-social activity taking place in Coultry Park and in the general vicinity.

However, the council has no specific plans or resources at present to remove the bandstand from the park.

“An assessment will be carried out including inputs from various stakeholders, and any outcome will be subject to confirmation of the availability of required resources,

? the spokesperson told Northside People.

“There is no specific warden service in the park at night. The gardaí are advised of any incidents that Parks and Landscape Services become aware of taking place in the park and CCTV in the area is monitored by Dublin City Council.

?