Dáil debates

Thursday, 10 May 2018

Topical Issue Debate

Anti-Social Behaviour

2:30 pm

Photo of Tommy BroughanTommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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Like me, I am sure the Minister was horrified to receive reports about the incident that occurred at Clongriffin DART station on Tuesday night. This was a very shocking and traumatic experience for the passengers and Irish Rail staff who witnessed the atrocious anti-social and criminal behaviour that occurred. What was reported in the media as "an unprecedented graffiti attack" seems to have been much more sinister, with up to 20 young people, allegedly wearing balaclavas and armed with knives and lumps of wood, blocking the doors of a train at approximately 10.30 p.m. More shocking still is that it appears there may have been two rival gangs the members of which then fought among themselves to damage the train. We cannot imagine the terror for the passengers on that Dublin to Malahide DART train.

Regrettably, although this attack reached a new level of depravity, it is not an isolated incident. In recent years, a small number of miscreants seem to have repeatedly vandalised this station and terrorised commuters. I have visited the station many times and have contacted An Garda Síochána and Iarnród Éireann since 2016 to convey the complaints and annoyance of so many citizens from the area. I had previously requested that a full-time security team be placed at this station, for regular Garda patrols and for the installation of a full CCTV system and other increased security measures. This week, I again contacted our local superintendent and chief superintendent of An Garda Síochána to ask what they are doing to improve security at the station and ensure passenger safety in light of the appalling incident on Tuesday. I repeatedly contacted former Irish Rail CEO, David Franks, and have now also contacted the acting CEO, Jim Meade, regarding this criminal activity.

For approximately eight years before its opening in 2010, the people of the new estates in Beau Park and Clongriffin, in Dublin 13, campaigned for the Clongriffin DART station and were delighted with its impressive design and facilities. However, over the past three years, particularly since the middle of 2016, I have received numerous emails, calls and visits from concerned constituents who are living in fear. Clongriffin, Belmayne and the Coast in Dublin's north fringe are growing areas in which many young, hard-working families with children live. There is a wonderful sense of community among the people who live there, with regular and well-attended community meetings, although the delivery of education, health, shopping, crèche and security facilities has been dismally slow from the main developer, Gannon Homes, Dublin City Council and Fingal County Council. Residents believe that Clongriffin DART station is being targeted because of its distance from the district Garda station, which is located over three miles away in Coolock. Residents report that it can take over 20 minutes for gardaí to arrive on the scene of an emergency. In some instances, where residents have reported stolen cars, suspicious behaviour and other anti-social behaviour, particularly in the station and near Fr. Collins Park, I am told that it has taken over an hour for gardaí to arrive. For most of my political career, the people of Donaghmede - a large parish of more than 4,000 houses where many of the north fringe estates, including Clongriffin, are located - have demanded their own Garda station, but have never got it.

It has never been realised.

The station has been targeted for a long time. Irish Rail has had to replace the front two main windows on numerous occasions before finally opting for an unbreakable front option which is not as aesthetically pleasing. During last summer, 42 out of 45 of the glazed panels had been smashed or shattered. Two weeks ago, during the daytime, there was also a robbery of a cash-in-transit van.

The residents of Clongriffin are growing tired in their efforts to create a positive community spirit only to have repeated attacks on their public transport facility and neighbourhood, and there is a growing unease over using their local DART station. This disgraceful nonsense has gone on long enough. It is now critical that Irish Rail, Dublin City Council, Fingal County Council, Gannon Homes, Cairns Homes and other key stakeholders get together with public representatives and An Garda Síochána to ensure that this breakdown in law and order stops immediately and never reoccurs.

2:35 pm

Photo of Charles FlanaganCharles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy Broughan for raising this important matter. I am pleased to be able to respond.

I am aware of the serious incident that took place earlier this week concerning a number of youths who vandalised a DART train as it arrived into Clongriffin station. The youths in question then proceeded to engage in other serious anti-social behaviour and accost members of the public. This is completely unacceptable behaviour and will not be tolerated. I am advised that this incident is now the subject of an official investigation by An Garda Síochána, in conjunction with Irish Rail, with CCTV footage being reviewed to help identify the culprits. Photographs were also taken at the scene of the graffiti tags which are also being circulated in order to identify any links with known graffiti offenders and I encourage anyone with information about this incident to contact An Garda Síochána as soon as possible

In terms of tackling this particular type of crime, I am advised by An Garda Síochána that Garda management engages extensively with transport operators and a range of regional and local operations has been put in place to address incidents and issues that have arisen at specific locations. There is ongoing communication between An Garda Síochána and the respective control centres, and access to good quality CCTV helps provide assistance to gardaí when investigating serious incidents, such as what we saw in Clongriffin earlier this week.

I listened carefully to Deputy Broughan and take on board the points he raised. He will be aware that An Garda Síochána already employs a wide range of operational measures aimed at tackling public order offences and anti-social behaviour. These measures are underpinned by the existence of a comprehensive legal framework, which assists the Garda in tackling this type of crime. Addressing local community concerns in relation to public order and anti-social behaviour is a key focus of An Garda Síochána's national community policing model and a range of strong legislative provisions are available to An Garda Síochána in this regard, including those under the Criminal Damage Act 1991, the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994, the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 2003, and the Intoxicating Liquor Acts 2003 and 2008.

The type of behaviour we witnessed in Clongriffin this week has no place in civilised society. For its part, the Government remains committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has all the necessary resources to tackle all forms of criminality in our communities. In this context, the Deputy will be aware that some €1.65 billion has been allocated to the Garda Vote for 2018 and €98.5 million has been provided for Garda overtime for 2018, which will also assist with Garda operations to tackle the type of problems we saw this week.

The Government is committed to ensuring a strong and visible police presence throughout the country in order to maintain and strengthen community engagement, provide reassurance to citizens and to deter crime. Budget 2018 will support the continuation of this high level of investment in the Garda workforce and ensure that the vision of an overall workforce of 21,000 by 2021 remains on track.

I listened to Deputy Broughan's remarks on stakeholder engagement and stakeholders being brought together and I agree with the Deputy.

Photo of Tommy BroughanTommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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I thank the Minister for his reply and the report on the official investigation which is now taking place. However, at this stage words are meaningless. Residents and commuters want action. Most of all, my constituents want those involved in behaviour such as that which occurred in Clongriffin DART station last Tuesday night to be apprehended, put into the juvenile diversion programme, and prosecuted, if necessary. Resources must also be put into increased security at Clongriffin station. The incidents are occurring because perpetrators are getting away with it. That station cost €22 million almost a decade ago and it has been under sustained attack, which is now worsening. We need a permanent, static security presence there indefinitely. The Minister must assure me that the safety and well-being of my constituents and our commuters is paramount.

It is not just Clongriffin DART station which has been under this kind of attack in recent years, however. The Howth Junction and Donaghamede DART stations to its south have also suffered a great deal. I have lost count of how many times I have had to contact Irish Rail and An Garda Síochána about vandalism, threatening behaviour, lift breakdowns and so on at the stations. These incidents are part of a wider issue of anti-social behaviour in areas of Dublin Bay North which I raised with the Minister and the Taoiseach only months ago. I have also raised the cuts in community policing over the decade of austerity. The Minister knows I have repeatedly written to him about dangerous joyriding and criminal behaviour in other areas of Dublin Bay North. The behaviour in Clongriffin is escalating and will lead to a very serious incident with people getting hurt or even killed. The time for action is now.

I repeat my invitation to the Minister, which I have issued to him a couple of times in the past six months, to come out to Dublin Bay North to meet our community in Clongriffin and the other districts in the constituency, local Garda officers, Irish Rail staff, and local authority staff. I ask him to make that visit and see at first hand the resources that are necessary to ensure that this crazy, wild west-type behaviour never happens in this city again.

Photo of Charles FlanaganCharles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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It is clear that this is an issue of concern and something on which Deputy Broughan has strong views, as indeed do we all. It is important that we work together to eradicate this type of unacceptable behaviour in our society. I am advised that the incident in Clongriffin remains under active investigation by An Garda Síochána. Every effort is being made locally to identify those involved.

I am further advised that close contact is being maintained with local and senior management in Irish Rail and other transport providers, and An Garda Síochána has a good working relationship with the public transport providers in the district. There are patrols by uniformed and plain clothes gardaí, including personnel on foot patrols, and other community engagements are maintained in the vicinity of the area where this incident occurred. I can assure Deputy Broughan that I remain in ongoing contact with the acting Garda Commissioner on all new and emerging crime trends. I am committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has all the necessary resources required to deal with this type of criminality in our communities, including the type of unacceptable criminal behaviour we saw this week in Clongriffin. I assure Deputy Broughan of my ongoing support.