A GARDA PREMISES is set to open on O’Connell Street in Dublin City Centre in the coming months to tackle drug dealing and anti-social behaviour in the city centre.

The additional Garda presence on the city centre street was announced at the Fine Gael parliamentary party meeting this evening by Justice Minister Helen McEntee.

McEntee told the party that the new Garda premises is part of an effort to increase police presence within the city centre.

Two operations, Operation Citizen and Operation Spire, which specifically target anti-social behaviour and drug dealing will be run from the new premises, alongside potential victim support.

Operation Spire, a plainclothes Garda operation run out of Store Street Garda station is aimed at tackling anti-social behaviour and knife crime.

Operation Citizen also tackles anti-social behaviour and other crimes within Dublin city centre, with 100 Gardaí patrolling areas around the quays and Liffey boardwalk.

In recent days, the Office of Public Works has filed a State Authority Work application to Dublin City Council which would see a premises on 13A O’Connell Street changed to Garda use.

Previously, 13A O’Connell Street was used as a Citizens Information office.

A Garda station was also previously in operation on O’Connell Street but was closed as part of cost-cutting measures.

The application was filed by the OPW on 13 April and will see a facade with the Garda insignia placed on the front of the building.

The proposed design for 13A O'Connell Street OPW OPW

Sources have said that the building will also be used as a community policing hub alongside a tourist information hub.

The tourist information hub is set to be run by the Irish Tourist Assistance Service (ITAS). The service has close links with Gardaí and is used to help tourists who are victims of crime.

ITAS typically deal with issues tourists may have while in Ireland, including issues like lost passports or crimes that have been perpetrated against tourists.

- Additional reporting by Niall O’Connor and Christina Finn