Moregardai neededon localbeach
IT’S time to end the madness on Bettystown beach according to local TD Imelda Munster.
She has written to Garda Superintendent James Cannon and Meath County Council CEO Jackie Maguire following the surge of dangerous anti-social behaviour on Bettystown Beach.
‘Residents and holidaymakers in Bettystown and Laytown are angry that this problem is not being taken more seriously and have called for a greater Garda presence in the area. One lady who contacted me said she was playing football on the beach with her three young children at 4.45pm one evening last week when a car driven by three or four youths sped through the bollards of the ‘no car zone’, weaving in between children playing football, only narrowly missing one of them in the process,’ she stated.
“Speeding past the life guard’s hut, they brazenly proceeded to do ‘donuts’ further up the strand without any fear of being stopped. The beach was packed with families enjoying the sunny weather at the time. A female Garda who arrived 25 minutes after being called was hardly in a position to confront this unruly group of lads on her own,’ she added.
She says according to locals this type of behaviour is a regular occurrence on the beach especially in the summer evenings.
“And it’s not only the hazardous joyriding that is frightening. Fire crews from Drogheda were called to several fires in the sand dunes in Bettystown in recent weeks caused by youths involved in anti-social behaviour.
‘Why are these youths allowed to run rampant on our beaches without being challenged? The time has come for decisive, co-ordinated action to be taken by Gardai and the Environment and Enforcement section of Meath County Council. Or are we waiting for someone to be seriously injured or killed before something is done about this dangerous issue? “