by Alan Jacques
LIMERICK Council has been praised by Sinn Féin councillor Malachy McCreesh for its speedy response in cleaning up drug paraphernalia including needles and syringes in a derelict site on the Dock Road.
The Limerick Post reported last week that the site of the former Londis Topshop service station between the Windmill House and Mount Kennett apartment buildings had been identified by residents as a hangout for drug users. As well as the clean-up of the site, a fence has been erected by the local authority to prevent heroin users from accessing the building.
When contacted for comment on the issue, a spokesperson for Limerick Council commented: “Our environment department carried out a site inspection of this area last week and the Council has taken on board the concerns of the local community. It has the power to deal with this matter Act and I can confirm that this site is being attended to as a matter of urgency.”
Cllr McCreesh said it was encouraging for himself and the local community to see that the site has been cleaned of all litter, especially the dangerous needles. Local families had expressed concern for their safety as the site had become a haven for heroin users and anti-social behaviour.
“Hopefully the tremendous effort put into cleaning up this site will be respected by those responsible for creating the litter problem and the local community will be able to walk around the area without the fear of abuse from the anti-social elements who were using the site,” he commented.
Cllr McCreesh has also requested that more resources be made available to the various groups that work with drug users in Limerick in order to help them overcome their addiction.
