Malahide gets rapid-response CCTV ahead of reopening

Closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras are being installed across the north Dublin coastal town of Malahide, to combat potential antisocial activities, ahead of the resumption of outdoor dining and pedestrianisation over the bank-holiday weekend.

The cameras, which are being put in place by Fingal County Council at the request of gardaí, will be connected directly to Malahide Garda station to enable rapid intervention in any incidents of public disorder to before they escalate.

The pedestrianisation of New Street in Malahide, which sparked a concerted campaigned of opposition before it was rescinded last September, will be reinstated on Sunday, ahead of the lifting of restrictions on outdoor dining on Monday.

Recent scenes of brawling in the town involving gangs of young men, including one incident where youths were filmed jumping on the roof of an occupied car, had heightened concerns among some residents and businesses about the pedestrian plans.

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The council said public disorder or illegal street drinking will not be tolerated. “Bylaws are in place that alcohol can only be served on the premises, that will include the outdoor seating area marked out for use by that premises, but drinking anywhere else in the street will not be permitted,” a spokesman said.

Fingal’s beaches had been busy during last weekend, but there had been no significant public-order problems associated with large gatherings, he said.

Cycling route

The south Dublin coast also saw an influx of visitors, with the Blackrock to Sandycove coastal cycling route, introduced at the start of the pandemic last year, seeing its highest number of visitors yet.

"More than 5,500 people used the coastal mobility route on Sunday, its busiest day ever," Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council's director of service Robert Burns said.

The council had increased the number of bins, particularly in its coastal towns, and had installed some large commercial bins to cope with the crowds, Mr Burns said.

It was likely he said the area had fewer “drink orientated” visitors than the city centre, where there were large crowds and several arrests at the weekend. “I think we might have an easier dynamic to deal with, more families, but we will be keeping a close watch, we don’t want to end up with that sort of thing visited upon us.”

The council plans to pedestrianise Lower George's Street in Dún Laoghaire town from July 5th to facilitate not only outdoor dining, but arts and cultural events, Mr Burns said.

“If it was just for outdoor dining, I think that would be a very narrow idea of what constitutes an outdoor summer. It will be family orientated, as well as appealing to older couples, and people of all ages.”