by Alan Jacques
ELDERLY people in County Limerick are living in fear of criminals, a meeting of the Adare/Rathkeale district of Limerick City and County Council has been told.
Speaking at this week’s municipal district meeting, Cllr Emmett O’Brien told Garda Superintendent for Newcastle West district, Tom O’Connor, that he held An Garda Síochána in the “highest esteem” but he believed the closure of Garda stations in rural areas had caused a breakdown in confidence and an escalation in fear.
“Elderly people are living in fear, an ever present fear. Whether it is real or perceived, that fear is there,” said Cllr O’Brien.
Superintendent O’Connor revealed that Garda sergeants throughout the district were currently visiting elderly people in their homes.
“This is a sensitive area. I would also call upon local people to visit the elderly in their areas,” he said.
Burglaries in the Adare-Rathkeale area have risen from 42 last year to 48 in 2015, Supt O’Connor told council members. Public order offences dropped from 48 in 2014 to 23 this year. There was also a decrease in the number of thefts in the district down to 65 from 90 last year.
On Halloween night alone, there were 45 incidents reported to Gardaí. This was up from 42 last year. Supt O’Connor believes a different approach is needed next year to policing Halloween in the county.
Fianna Fail councillor Richard O’Donoghue called for Croom Garda Station to be re-opened on a full-time basis. He feels this would cut response times to crime throughout the district.
“You have lots of full-backs, lots of full-forwards, but no centre-fields,” he said.
