I have written to the Garda Commissioner to highlight the issue of Anti-Social behaviour in the park at Rivervalley View. I will print the reply when I receive it:
Dear Commissioner
My name is Joe Newman and I was elected to Fingal County Council last May as an Independent Councillor. I am writing to you on behalf of a number of residents who live on River Valley View in River Valley Swords. Over the past number of years these residents have had to put up with anti-social behaviour such as youths drinking in the park beside their homes late at night and into the early hours of the morning.
The Youths are stealing resident’s bins from their homes as well as taking them from outside their properties when they leave them out for collection, The youths set these bins on fire in the park while they go about consuming alcohol and causing annoyance to the residents.
Sometime the party goers order takeaway food from the local pizza shop and have them delivered by taxi to the park
Apart from the partying that goes on there is a lot of what appears to be drug dealing in the vicinity, during the day cars regularly drive up to the park and youths come from all directions to receive their purchases through the hedgerow alongside the park according to a number of residents.
A number of residents are being intimidated by groups of teenage boys and girls who congregate in the local park; some of the residents are living on their own and are often fearful of these groups.
The residents say that when they ring the Garda station the phone tends to ring out on Saturday nights therefore it is not always possible to contact the Gardai.
The local Gardai do attend sometimes to the late night drinking, however they do not seem to be making any progress in stopping this activity.
The drug dealing just seems to be accepted and nothing appears to be done about this according to a number of residents. I am sure this is not the case however the residents think otherwise.
We have had a huge amount of burglaries over the past year or so and the criminals seem to be able to come and go at their ease. I have initiated a community text alert on a pilot basis with a number of residents sharing their details and looking out for one another.
This text alert system could be utilised by the Gardai in the fight against crime, the community can be a valuable asset to combat the criminals. Criminals are well organised with technology such as mobile phones as well as good cars and a convenient road network to make good their escape, this is of course if they do not live locally
I would appreciate if you would consider the above complaints and make every effort to address the issues mentioned. I would also ask that you consider increasing the Garda numbers in the Swords area.
Yours sincerely
Cllr. Joe Newman
21 Hilltown Close
River Valley
Swords Co. Dublin
Response from The Garda Commissioners Office:
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