Concern in Dingle over rise in rate of crime

September 1991

DINGLE’S business community is concerned about the rising crime rate in the harbour town and now want to establish a community alert in the area in an effort to help local Gardai contain the problem.

Dingle Chamber of Commerce PRO, John Moriarty, explains that they do not want to sound in any way alarmist about the extent of crime in Dingle.

“There has been a slight increase in crime in Dingle and we want to nip it in the bud as fast as possible. The local Gardai have been doing a fantastic job and we now want to lend them our support.”

“This is why we want to establish the community alert programme. We intend to meet with the local Gardai to discuss the situation and afterwards have a public meeting. Then we hope to get volunteers in each street in town to keep an eye on older people and so on,” explained Mr Moriarty.

Dingle is becoming an ever more popular town with tourists enjoying massive media attention and this is among the reasons why the Dingle Chamber of Commerce want to establish the community alert, he said.

“Dingle is a very special town and we want to keep it this way. None of the crimes being committed here are of a very serious nature and we want to make sure it does not get any worse,” he added. “At the meeting of Dingle Chamber of Commerce where it was decided to establish a community alert, it was also agreed to ask Bus Eireann to re-alter the bus route through the town.

At present it no longer goes through Main Street and Mr Moriarty explains that this is the portion of town where a lot of old people need to go with banks and the post office located there.

“We are very concerned about this and hope to change Bus Eireann’s mind,” said the chamber of commerce pro.

The Chamber of Commerce is also objecting to Kerry County Council plans for a refuse dump at BallymoreighnearVentry. Speaking for the Chamber of Commerce Mr Moriarty said they believe this is an unsuitable location for a dump:

“It is the only forest West of Dingle and it totally unsuitable. However, we know the County Council has a difficulty and we would like to help them locate a suitable site,” he said.

Another issue which the Chamber of Commerce is to tackle is the naming of the new waterfront bypass. Mr Moriarty says it is beginning to be called the New Road. However, the Chamber would like it to be known as The Tracks.