The illegal drugs industry is probably one of the “largest employers” in the north Dublin area, the Dáil has been told.
Fianna Fáil TD Paul McAuliffe called for a “realistic approach to the drugs industry in this city” and said that if there was ever a war against drugs “we have lost it”.
Speaking during a debate on the revival of Dublin city centre Mr McAuliffe said “I can walk out of this House and buy drugs on any corner. People tell me there are parts of their estates where the “shop”, as they call it, is open all hours of the day and night.”
The Dublin North-West TD who represents Ballymun, Finglas, Glasnevin and Santry, said that it had to be accepted that “drugs are freely available for sale and that thousands of people are purchasing these products. In fact, in my community, as a single industry, the drugs industry is probably one of the largest employers.”
The Dáil debate follows an RTÉ documentary last month about O’Connell street in Dublin showing open drug dealing, violence, drunkenness and other anti-social behaviour and calls for the Taoiseach to lead a task force to rejuvenate the capital’s main street and surrounding area.
‘High-visibility policing’
Minister for Justice Helen McEntee who opened the debate confirmed a property on Upper O’Connell Street is being redeveloped as a Garda station “to enhance the high-visibility policing service in Dublin city centre”.
She said “it will serve as a hub which on-duty gardaí can report to directly without the need to return to their designated station, as well as being the parade location for Operation Citizen”.
While the Garda station is being established “a high-visibility Garda command vehicle has been placed on O’Connell Street and has been manned”.
Dublin Central Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon welcomed the new Garda station but warned that when such initiatives occur they end up “taking the problems and pushing them out into the communities around them”.
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He cited Operation Citizen and Operation Spire and said the experience of inner-city communities is that “the problems will just be transferred around on a merry-go-round” to other areas.
Mr Gannon said “I want more police on the street but I want quality policing. We have great gardaí but I want a community-based policing approach on O’Connell Street. I do not doubt that we need them there but we need gardaí who can link in” with local community services. “We need more of that. That will enhance the city.”
Sinn Féin’s Aengus Ó Snodaigh said that many more gardaí were needed across the city, “seen openly and on a much more permanent basis than has been the case for most of the years of my life in this city.
“They are needed in our tourist areas, where the crimes associated with drugs — open drug dealing, harassment of people, intimidation, thuggery and wanton destruction of property — take place.”
He added that “it’s not just the tourist areas but every single area, in particular the working-class areas of the city. Those communities have been plagued by those who are involved in this. What message goes out to the youth if, for instance, Garda Síochána cars drive by when open drug dealing is happening? That happens day in, day out.”
