FIANNA Fáil TD Willie O’Dea has met with Gardaí in relation to a significant spike in anti-social behaviour from a gang of “feral youths” in the St Joseph Street/Wolfe Tone Street area of Limerick City.
Deputy O’Dea organised a number of recent meetings between residents of the area and the Gardaí to begin tackling the issue. Speaking to the Limerick Post, the veteran TD expressed his shock at the level of intimidation and fear residents expressed at the meetings.
“People talked about gangs of youths terrorising the area. I know several vulnerable and elderly people who are literally prisoners in their own homes, particularly by night and sometimes by day as well,” he told this reporter.
“This gang of feral youths are breaking windows and flower pots and kicking doors and are operating with total impunity, without any fear of the law.
“The residents are plagued with anti-social behaviour and the Gardaí are going to have to do something to deal with the issues raised,” O’Dea insisted.
The Limerick politician called for Justice Minister Helen McEntee to legislate to ensure the parents of juveniles convicted of behaving in a threatening or anti-social manner are required to pay compensation where wilful parental negligence can be identified as a key factor.
“All too often we see the victims are far worse off than the families of the perpetrators. Our street crime crisis is not born out of social deprivation or poverty, it is a result of a culture of impunity. One where a small few believe they can get away with anything they want. Society must show them they cannot.”
In the Dáil recently, O’Dea told the Taoiseach that Limerick is plagued with anti-social behaviour and called for areas outside of Dublin City to see greater investment in street policing.
“We also have problems and I want to know what the government is going to do about them. Contrary to what some people might like to believe, Dublin is not Ireland,” Deputy O’Dea hit out.
