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GARDAÍ ARE INVESTIGATING further criminal damage to a building site in Clondalkin that has previously shut down for a time because of intimidation and vandalism.
Last month, construction work stopped on the sixty-three homes that are being built on a site near St Cuthbert’s Park. At the time, local councillor Mark Ward, the Mayor of South Dublin, said anti-social behaviour, including drug dealing, in the park was “well documented”.
“Workers are the subject of threats and intimidation. Their cars have also been vandalised. Tools have been stolen and there have been reports of deliberate arson on the building site,” he said at the time.
At the end of November it was announced that work at the development would resume after a number of commitments were made by South Dublin County Council and the local garda station. CCTV cameras have been installed around the park and there is also increased security.
Despite these measures, there were two incidents of criminal damage around the site last weekend.
A garda spokesperson confirmed to TheJournal.ie that they are investigating an incident of criminal damage which occurred shortly after midnight on 1 December at the building site.
“JCB machinery was damaged by the fire in the incident.” It is understood there was extensive damage to the machinery.
They also confirmed there was a small fire in a new-build house at Lealand Avenue at 11.30pm Sunday night. The fire was quickly extinguished and gardaí said there were only minor damages to the house.
No arrests in connection with either of these incidents have been made and the investigations are ongoing.
Mark Ward told TheJournal.ie that aside from these two incidents, there has been a noticeable improvement in the situation. He said the council had also cut back overgrown hedges and bushes in the park to stop people gathering in that area.
“These are minor incidents compared to what was going on beforehand. Things have been a lot quieter. The gardaí committed all of the resources necessary to combat the problem, not just around the construction site but in the whole area.
I’ve had phonecalls from residents to say they’ve been able to bring their dogs out for a walk in the park, which is something they haven’t felt able to to in a long while because of the anti-social behaviour. It is making a difference to people’s lives.
He said the local football team is also looking to start using the park again.
Ward said the issues around the construction site are “only a symptom of the wider issues in the area”.
“The area has been neglected for years. Now that the resources have been put in you can see the difference around the wider area. People are starting to talk about how nice it would be to put a playground in the park, before they would have just thought that would attract anti-social behaviour.”
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We are way way too soft on this sort of criminal behaviour. Lock up these good for nothings I bet they even got their double week this week
@wacker macker: garuntee they are under 18 & in school. Attacks only happen on the weekend, what does that tell you?
If there’s more social housing going in there this can only end up much worse
That detective from Longford should be put on the case :)
@John Johnson:
That dog from Longford, if still with us, should be let roam the site at night!
It’s clondalkin. What do people expect!!!!
@CtrlAltDel: As a lovely young lady called Loreto said on Astons Quay in 1967 when being jeered about living in a Dublin suburb that was “looked down on” by tupenny snobs – it’s not where you live, it’s how you live. How and where do you live @CtrlAltDel?
@Alphonsa: no matter how you live it must be depressing that these units haven’t even been built yet and it sounds like Beirut.
@CtrlAltDel: I occasionally work around there and the people are the finest. Literally a handful of degenerates causing this. The same idiots who are stealing the motorbikes and throwing stones at the buses. There was a lot to be said for Lugs Brannigan styled policing.
@CtrlAltDel: Pathetic comment.
“This is minor compared to…..”; so now arson is a minor offense? SISK should pull out completely or theyll end up with another Capital Dock on their hands. Amazing how there’s enough Garda to enforce operation freeflow, speed limit of 60km on M7 motorway and throw mothers who cant afford to pay for TV license in jail yet this continues. #blueshirts #taxcollectors
The no.13 bus is pulled out from there after 7pm nearly every weekend due to stone throwing and so on. What I will say is that it is the same mindless teenagers doing .. The majority of people who live there are hard working people.
Ask for a division of the Parisian Police force to come over and approach the problem with their style of policing.
Armed security is needed in places like this. Just pick off the little shites one by one until there are none left.
Fool!!
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