Minister for Justice Helen McEntee says a new “street crime” task force for Dublin will add to garda operations already running in the capital.
The city has been described as a dangerous place at night by one former minister, while another said O’Connell Street was full of drug users, anti-social behaviour and robberies.
This special task force will see garda resources pumped into a new unit to tackle crime on Dublin’s streets.
Minister McEntee says it follows a number of successful operations in the capital – focusing on low-level drug dealing and anti-social behaviour
”We know that there is concerns in particular about our city centre but this is the gardaí making sure there response is adequate, that its appropriate.”
It’s expected the dedicated unit will work across the Dublin Metropolitan Region, not just the city centre.
Sinn Féin Justice spokesperson, Martin Kenny, says the task force is welcome: ”We’ve had incidents of serious crime and vicious behaviour towards tourists and residents and indeed you know, open drug dealing in the streets of Dublin is totally unacceptable.”
Fianna Fáil Senator Mary Fitzpatrick says a specific style of policing will be needed ”We need gardaí who mare trained and prepared to police public spaces with high-volume footfall, high-volume traffic and very opportunistic anti-social behaviour and crime taking place.
Details on the remit and staffing of the taskforce are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
