Taskforce needed to ‘reclaim’ Clondalkin park

SOUTH Dublin County Council is being urged to set up a taskforce to deal with ongoing anti-social activity in a Clondalkin park. 

The issue has been raised with council management and gardaí by local Sinn Féin TD, Eoin Ó Broin, following a spate of joyriding and car burning in St Cuthbert’s Park. 

Deputy Ó Broin said: “Anti-social behaviour has been a problem in St Cuthbert’s Park for some time. Illegal dumping and reckless use of quads and scramblers have caused significant damage to  this valuable public amenity. However, in recent weeks the situation in and near the park has deteriorated significantly. On an almost nightly basis cars are being stolen, driven around the park and then set alight.”  

He added: “Last night two more cars were burnt out and left at the side of the park. Residents are now simply too scared to use the park even during the day.” 

Last April, Mr Ó Broin met with senior council management and urged them to establish a high level taskforce to “reclaim” St Cuthbert’s Park. He believes that such a forum should involve council management, senior gardaí, elected representatives and the local community.

He insisted that the taskforce would not be a talking shop but a working group with agreed actions, timelines and resources to deal with the anti-social activity.

“Since April the situation has gone from bad to worse,” the Dublin Mid-West TD continued. “No one agency has the power to solve this problem, but unless we work together at a sufficiently senior level and take co-ordinated action, then this valuable public amenity will remain a no-go area for residents. We must not allow this to happen.”