Speaking after the first meeting of the new Fingal Policing Committee, Deputy Joan Burton TD, Labour Party Dail Representative to the Committee, said that the formation of local policing committees was long overdue.

She welcomed the formation of the committee at its first meeting last Friday morning in Blanchardstown.

“There are a number of issues that the committee needs to address as a matter of urgency. Firstly given the population and the level of crime, including gangland crime and murder being experienced in the Dublin 15 area, the policing committee should have a specific focus and subcommittee dedicated to policing issues in the Dublin 15 area. Dublin 15 is seriously underserved in terms of community policing and we want dialogue with Garda management to ensure that local communities, particularly in those parts of Dublin 15 where there is a serious crime problem perpetrated by a small minority, get a visible policing presence. We want the Gardai working on the beat in local communities so that people feel safe in their own neighbourhood.”

“At the meeting I specifically raised with the Gardai and Fingal Council management policing arrangements in relation to the forthcoming Halloween season. I have asked Fingal County Council to arrange special junk collections, particularly in areas of local authority housing so as to ensure that junk ranging from mattresses to tyres currently lying in back gardens and lanes is not used for bonfires.”

“Dublin City Council carry out regular junk collections. Fingal did junk collections until recent years. Bearing in mind that not everyone can get to Coolmine Recycling Facility it would make a lot of sense to re-instate skip collections particularly in estates where bonfires are a regular feature of Halloween.”

“Finally I was disappointed that although the Minister’s guidelines for the joint policing committees specifically mention that all political parties should be included, that Councillor Felix Gallagher was unable to secure a nomination from his fellow Councillors. Personally I think all interested Councillors, TD’s and Senators should be invited and encouraged to join the policing committee.”