Traders’ fear as €10m city centre fund not renewed

ASSURANCE

BUSINESSES have raised concerns about the “wrong and short-sighted” decision not to renew €10million in funding that saw a rise in the number of gardai on the capital’s streets.

Justice Minister Helen Mcentee announced in July that a new funding package would be put in place to increase Garda visibility in Dublin following several high-profile assaults.

Following significant public and political pressure, the minister announced an extra €10m.

This would allow for 240,000 hours of overtime. It also allowed “days of action” as well as the enhancement of Operation Citizen which focused on tackling street-level drug dealing, anti-social behaviour and the seizure of alcohol in the city centre.

However, the Irish Times reported yesterday the €10m had been spent and not renewed by the Department of Justice.

It added that gardai from outside Dublin are no longer being drafted in to bolster visibility on the streets.

Business lobby group Dublin Town hit out at the move and said it expressed its concerns to senior officers yesterday.

CEO Richard Guiney stated: “Not to maintain it would be wrong and shortsighted and would have the capacity to reduce confidence in an area critical to the national economy and Ireland’s international reputation.

“Justice Minister Mcentee should ensure the number of gardai remains above preNovember levels, at least.”

Speaking on RTE’S News at One, Minister Mcentee said she had received assurances from Garda Commissioner Drew Harris that high-visibility policing in the capital will continue.

She added: “Yes, there will be changes to teams. But what people need to know is that high visibility presence, that policing that people have seen over the last few weeks and months, that will be maintained.”