Sinn Féin TD for Dublin Mid-West and party spokesperson for community safety, Mark Ward has called for the Dublin Crime Task Force to be deployed to the Balgaddy area of Lucan.
This is after an ongoing escalation of violence and intimidation inflicted on residents.
The Dublin Mid-West TD said he has raised this with the new Garda Commissioner, Minister for Justice, the Taoiseach and South Dublin County Council
Ward said “this has been going on for months now and has escalated to levels I have not experienced before.
“Residents in Balgaddy fear for their safety and that of their children. The area is under siege. In recent weeks, a gang has engaged in repeated violent acts of intimidation and criminal damage. I have received countless emails and phone calls, and many people have visited my constituency office to tell me they have been terrorised.”
“Residents have told me that they have received death threats. Their windows have been smashed and their properties vandalised. There has been intimidation of residents, including of those who are elderly or who are vulnerable in other ways. There are gatherings late at night, with open drug use and drug dealing. Residents feel that there is a credible threat to their personal safety and that of their families.”
Ward said “the majority of the residents of Balgaddy are honest and hard-working people who just want to live in safety.”
“I have been an elected representative for the Balgaddy area for almost 10 years now and we have had problems in the past, but nowhere near this level.”
The Sinn Féin TD said “there are systemic problems in Balgaddy that the Gardai and South Dublin County Council have failed to resolve. There is a working group set up but it is not fit for purpose. There are no public representatives on this group and the voices of the ordinary decent residents are not heard.”
Private homeowners are selling their homes and social housing tenants are seeking transfers, he said.
Ward called for the deployment of the Dublin Crime Task Force to Balgaddy as a “matter of urgency” so residents can feel safe again.
“However, we will not just police our way out of this situation, we need resources to tackle youth crime and South Dublin County Council need to take responsibility on estate management issues; I raised this matter with the Garda Commissioner at the justice committee, directly with the Taoiseach during Taoiseach questions, the Minister for Justice and South Dublin County Council because of how serious the situation is,” he said.