Gardaí called onto help stop bad behaviour in estates

THE gardaí have been called on to assist the local authority by alerting council officials to anti-social behaviour in council estates.

This was revealed as the Anti-Social Behaviour Strategy 2018-2024 was launched at the recent meeting of Wexford County Council.

The aims of the report include the prevention and reduction of anti-social behaviour, the co-ordination of services within the housing authority directed to this end, the promotion of co-operation with the HSE and gardaí in preventing anti-social behaviour and the promotion of good estate management.

Among the initiatives being rolled out will be pre-tenancy courses to instruct prospective council tenants in how to behave in their new homes.

Cllr Malcolm Byrne called for a provision to be included in tenancy agreements whereby tenants must detail how they dispose of their rubbish to reduce the amount of fly tipping in the county. He said he would support the strategy providing this amendment was included.

Senior Housing Officer Padraig O’Gorman said: ‘We will take action in cases that warrant it. With the establishment of the housing action team there are twice the resources and a new template has been set up for recording incidences of anti-social behaviour. Hopefully where people are behaving in a way that is unacceptable, they will heed the warning. They are prepared to bring forward the ultimate sanction.’

Mr O’Gorman said the council is very serious about littering in the county and will add a clause into tenancy agreements about rubbish disposal.

Cllr Oisin O’Connell said sometimes there are problems involving family members and not just an individual. ‘You might have parents who are engaged in dysfunctional behaviour. I am not sure a swift enforcement approach will work in that instance.’

In welcoming the strategy, Cllr George Lawlor said he knows the council is hamstrung by national rules regarding anti-social behaviour orders.

He said residents are afraid to sign their name to an anti-social behaviour complaint’s form as the people they are reporting are ‘serious’. He asked if Data Protection can be extended to council tenants saying complaints strengthen the council’s case when dealing with tenants.

‘We have had occasions where the gardaí are called to violent situations (in council estates) like stabbings and we never hear about it. I have asked for the gardaí to liaise with housing officials involving criminality. I don’t think that has happened. I think that is a key component as without their back up I think we are fighting an uphill battle.’

He was informed that the complainant does not have to sign the form, to which he replied that it is important for the council to get that message out there as there is a real fear of retribution.

‘I don’t want people making complaints willy nilly or making vexatious complaints.’

Cllr Michael Whelan asked if the council can take action against drug dealers operating in council estates.

He was told the council’s hands are tied until there is a conviction. He said he hopes there is more enforcement regarding limiting the number of pets kept in council houses.

‘It’s a problem. I know one person in particular who has a rooster who wakes up the whole parish in the morning.’

Senior Housing Officer Padraig O’Gorman said the council can only take cognizance of drug dealing (by humans) when a conviction has been recorded.

Cllr Michael Sheehan said there is another problem involving people coming into areas like Irishtown in New Ross and causing problems. ‘ They come in on Sunday evenings and we have one of the worst incidents of anti-social behaviour in the county.’

He asked what recourse the local authority has to go after the people who may be council residents living elsewhere.

Mr O’Gorman said the curtilage of a council house in a private estate is the limit as to where the council has control.

Cllr Davy Hynes said pre-tenancy courses will be very important element in trying to explain to tenants before they move in about what their responsibilities are.

Cllr Johnny Mythen said residents in private estates also cause problems.

Mr O’Gorman said the PRTB process applies for private homes.

Chairman Cllr John Hegarty said he knows of a case where council tenants bought out their house and are targeting their neighbours.

Mr O’Gorman said any incidents of this nature must be referred to the gardaí.

Mr Carley said unless the tenant being targeted was prepared to move there is very little the council can do for them.

Cllr Barbara Anne Murphy said some council tenants are using their neighbour’s back yard as a dumping ground and to graze animals. Cllr Murphy asked if the council has enough staff. ‘I would hope so,’ Mr Carley replied.

Cllr Larry O’Brien said the problem could be lessened if council officials would listen to elected representatives who have a deep knowledge of what is happening in their areas. ‘We are ignored completely. Until that is addressed by the top table there will be no reduction in this behaviour.’

Cllr Lawlor disagreed, saying housing officials have always been receptive to his calls. ‘ Their hands are tied by national legislation,’ he insisted.

Cllr Willie Fitzharris said ‘out of order’ tenants may not be housed by the council but often end up staying with other council tenants.

‘We must be able to target the individual who is causing the problem,’ he said.

Cllr Tom Forde asked if existing tenants will be asked to sign up to the new strategy.

Cllr Paddy Kavanagh urged people to liaise with gardaí.

Mr O’Gorman said the council’s powers are limited, as it is the prerogative of the tenant as to who stays in their house.

Cllr Fionntain O’Suilleabháin said even the dogs on the street know who drug dealers are in estates, but unless a conviction has been recorded in the past five years the council is powerless to evict them. ‘ The law is an ass,’ he declared.

Cllr Tony Dempsey said: ‘It’s a very difficult area which goes back to school and childhood. If we put people with a historic dispositon to causing anti-social behaviour together and insist on housing them in the same estate you are giving rise to gangs.’

He said he called to a woman’s house recently after she told him a woman’s child was being intimidated by a neighbour but she was afraid to let him report the matter to gardaí.

I KNOW OF ONE PERSON IN PARTICULAR WHO HAS A ROOSTER WHO WAKES UP THE WHOLE PARISH IN THE MORNING