A COUNCILLOR WHO had been cited in claims that a now-closed laneway in Dublin was where gangs had formed during the Dublin riots, told The Journal that his words have been misinterpreted.

Independent North Inner City councillor Christy Burke told The Journal that he had “meant to say the lane is used for anti-social behaviour where people congregate”, a claim that echoes what businesses in the area have said.

Burke apologised for the misunderstanding.

Burke was previously cited as saying that the Harbour Court laneway between Marlborough Street and Lower Abbey Street on the northside of Dublin City had been where “the gangs and the groups formed during the Dublin riots on O’Connell Street in November”.

Green Party councillor for Pembroke Hazel Chu, who opposed the closure of the laneway, had countered this, saying: “The riot started online. Let’s not make any excuses for where the riot started.”

However, North Inner City Fine Gael Councillor Ray McAdam told The Journal that claims about the laneways being used during the Dublin riots were credible.

“From my meetings with businesses who back onto Harbour Court, I was advised that gangs congregated there on the night of 23 November,” he said by email.

Businesses in the area that spoke to The Journal said that they were unable to corroborate these claims one way or the other, but some did say that the laneway was a place where drugs were known to be sold and taken.

Closure

The laneway was closed earlier this month over long-running concerns of intravenous drug abuse, drug dealing and other activity taking place in the laneway. 

Councillors voted in favour of closing public access to Harbour Court last Monday. 

In July of last year, the council’s Central Area Committee was tasked with initiating the procedure to close the laneway and opened the process for submissions. 

Many of the subsequent complaints asked for the laneway to be closed in the interest of public safety and cleanliness.

“When night falls, the lane becomes a hub of dangerous activity,” one employee of a local pub wrote. 

Sinn Féin councillor for the North inner-city Janice Boylan said that because none of the businesses or residents in the area face onto the laneway, passive surveillance of the area is difficult. 

With reporting by Muiris O’Cearbhaill