‘Brazen’ youths intimidate locals in Cahersiveen

DAYS AFTER PUBLIC MEETING DRUNKEN TEEN GANGS WERE BACK IN ESTATE

JUST days after 500 concerned people attended a public meeting to demand action on increasing crime levels in south Kerry, drunken youths had returned to the Cahersiveen estate where the killing that prompted the meeting took place.

The claim was made at a meeting of the Kerry County Council Joint Policing Committee meeting on Friday where several members raised concerns about crime in southern Iveragh.

Fianna Fáil Councillor Michael Cahill said that within a few days of the public meeting “large groups” of youths aged from 14 to 19 were again gathering in the estate where they were allegedly drinking, taking drugs and “intimidating” local residents.

Cllr Cahill said most of the youths were not actually from the estate and were arriving there from other areas.

Describing the youths as “brazen” he said it was shocking that “within a couple of nights (of the meeting) they were back at it again”.

Concerns about rising crime in the Cahersiveen area were also voiced by councillors Damian Quigg (SF) and Niall Kelleher (FF).

In response Chief Supt Tom Myers said gardaí were listening to the concerns of people in the area and that gardaí are “looking to see how we can supplement the service there,”.

Chief Supt Myers added that generally curtailed resources, recent injuries to a number of gardaí in the Cahersiveen area and additional work due to the ‘Kerry Babies’ cold case investigation had placed an additional strain on resources in the region.

Responding to calls for Cahersiveen Garda Station to be open 24 hours a day, Killarney Superintendent Flor Murphy – whose district includes the Cahersiveen area – defended garda response times in the area and said people should not be concerned.

“The people spoke (at the meeting) and I listened. The most important issue for many is the 24 hour service down there. I would say that following the recent serious incident in Cahersiveen gardaí were there within minutes. The 24 hour capability is there,” he said.

Chief Supt Myers and Supt Murphy both said that whatever resources were available will be put in place to ensure that Cahersiveen and the southern Iveragh area is covered by an adequate garda presence at all times.