SINN Féin councillor Tom Collopy has called for a proactive Garda response to the rise in anti-social behaviour in Limerick city centre.
Cllr Collopy’s remarks come after the latest online video of a shocking and serious confrontation between two women and a man outside Arthur’s Quay Shopping Centre.
“This appalling assault took place in daylight on one of Limerick’s busiest streets. This is one of a plethora of incidents on our streets in recent weeks. The rise in street fights, drunkenness, drug dealing, youths on scramblers, totally ignoring the rules of the road, and begging, have combined to give a very negative view of the city,” he told the Limerick Post.
The City North representative believes that with these types of incidents occurring in broad daylight in the city, a robust response from Gardaí is now urgently needed.
“This is only the most recent incident that has been recorded. Another episode of street fighting took place outside the railway station in Limerick City, and it was again a serious assault by individuals hellbent on causing serious injury to each other. Again, this was videotaped and circulated widely.
“The incident itself was bad enough, but to have it happen outside the main bus and rail hub seriously undermines efforts to improve the image of the city and encourage the return of shoppers and tourists alike.”
The Sinn Féin councillor raised serious concerns that incidents like these are now becoming all too common, and took the view that, without a strong response, the perpetrators of these crimes will only become more emboldened.
“The vast majority of the law-abiding citizens of Limerick city and county can no longer be expected to tolerate this level of lawlessness by a very small but threatening element who daily congregate on our streets making life difficult for people going about their daily business.
“I am calling on Garda management locally to increase their visible presence in the city. While we cannot expect a Garda on every street corner, a visible foot and mobile patrol presence within the city is a deterrent to those who wish to display their criminality so openly.”
Cllr Collopy recently asked at a meeting of the Joint Policing Committee if it was possible to have a Garda night office in the precinct of the new Opera House development given its proximity to the main nightclubs and late bars in the Milk Market area.
“This city has made serious efforts in recent years to rejuvenate itself and to not tackle these ongoing issues now will prove to be a retrograde step that will have consequences for Limerick City and its citizens into the future,” he concluded.
