Water charges: Concern at ‘excessive Garda force’

Concerns about "excessive Garda force and numbers" being deployed against anti-water meter protests will be raised by Dublin's Lord Mayor, Christy Burke, with assistant Garda Commissioner, John Twomey "in coming days".

Mr Burke said he had sought a meeting after recieving a reports from constituents about "a small number of Gardai being heavy handed with residents" protesting against the installation of water metres. Meters continue to be installed across the State by GMC Sierra on behalf of Irish Water.

“I am concerned about the impact this could have on community Garda relations. I am also concerned that at a time when we don’t have sufficient Gardai to respond to crimes, between 20 and 30 Gardai a time are being deployed on single streets to assist Irish Water.”

He was speaking after he voted in favour of an emergency motion at Dublin City Council on Monday night deploring "the recent excessive mobilisation of Gardaí including the Public Order Unit into housing estates in Ayrfield , Edenmore, Donaghmede and Clare Hall". The motion was passed.

In Clarehall, north Dublin today 26 Gardai - deployed from Sundrive Road, Blanchardstown, Ronanstown, Ballymun, Balbriggan, Pearse Street, Dun Laoghaire, Store Street, Donnybrook and Coolock stations - and two Garda vans were present as about 150 people protested on Elmfield Avenue.

Though the protest remained peaceful over a three-hour period from 10am tensions escalated twice, with one arrest made. Protestors gathered around a cordoned area where GMC Sierra workers were working. Gardai moved in and could be seen pushing protestors away from the cordoned area. One female Garda filmed events.

Among those protesting was resident, Caroline Purdy, a housewife and mother of two. “I don’t want to pay water charges. I think it’s wrong. This has been forced on us and we’ve all paid already though our taxes.”

“The Guards are supposed to be looking after us. I know they have a job, but why are they protecting them? And why so many Guards? Stations all over Dublin are down Garda numbers.”

Ashling Murphy, a supermarket worker, said it was her day off. “I have a life and things to do but this is a priority.”

Everyone who spoke to The Irish Times said they would be at an anti-water charges protest in Dublin on Saturday.

The tyres on two Irish Water vans were slashed during the morning. Two GC Sierra workers said they found the protests intimidating. one siad he had been called “Nazi scum” while the other said he had been told his parents should be ashamed of him.

A spokesman for An Garda Síochána said the force "has a role in ensuring peaceful protest can take place, and also in preventing injury and protecting life. Our objective with any such operation is to ensure the safety of the public."

Irish Water did not comment last night.