Estates of fear
Councils ‘must have power’ to evict ‘small minority’ of troublemakers
MORE than 500 complaints about antisocial behaviour in Dublin City Council properties were received last year in an area with just 4,000 council tenants.
The complaints were received in the Dublin north east inner city area, which stretches from East Wall to the Phoenix Park.
On average more than 40 complaints about antisocial behaviour were received each month in the area.
However, less than a quarter of people about whom complaints were made were formally interviewed by the council. And a much smaller figure again was eventually referred to ‘central unit’ — the local authority’s central antisocial policy unit.
Dublin City Council told the Irish Mail on Sunday this week that just three people were evicted from their council properties last year for antisocial behaviour across the whole city.
The figure was the same for 2020, while 10 people were evicted in 2019.
It comes as the council’s housing committee met this week to review a new draft strategy for the management of antisocial behaviour in council properties.
Councillors agreed that the power to evict should ‘be the biggest weapon’ in their arsenal. They heard that eviction
‘Children as young as 12 are involved with drug gangs’
numbers have been low in recent years not because of a drop-off in antisocial behaviour but because of a delay in bringing forward new legislation.
The council now proposes to exclude any person evicted from a council property for antisocial behaviour from becoming a council tenant again for three years.
It also proposes that all applicants for housing with Dublin City Council will be subject to vetting in relation to antisocial behaviour.
The council will then be allowed to refuse or defer an application to let, purchase, or reside in a council-owned home.
The draft report noted that children as young as 12 years old are now involved with drug gangs in estates.
The report read: ‘It is our experience that the vast majority of our tenants are responsible residents and neighbours. The behaviour of a small minority has at times distorted the general view of social housing or the reputation of particular estates.
‘The discussion on estate management is often narrowed to the question of evictions but in reality we rely on a far broader range of interventions. It is also our experience that the majority of complaints are best managed through early and appropriate intervention strategies.
‘A very small percentage of people are engaged in criminal networks and criminality, yet there is often an unjustifiable stigma attached to communities in affected areas that taints the reputation of the entire community — through the conflation of antisocial behaviour on the part of a small proportion of residents with the characteristics of all residents.
‘While one report found that around 2% of the population have any involvement in these networks, all reports confirmed the impact of criminal network activities in related communities is extreme.
The report notes the increasing propensity for young people to get involved with these gangs, some as young as 12 years of age.’ Figures seen by the Irish Mail on Sunday show that in the north east inner area of Dublin alone, there were 45 complaints of antisocial behaviour made against tenants in September.
Of these complaints just eight people were interviewed.
In November, there were 43 complaints, and nine people were interviewed. Meanwhile, just three people were referred to the ‘central unit’ for action.
In December, there were 40 complaints, 11 interviewed and none were referred to the central unit for action.
Councillor Daithí Doolan of Sinn Féin, who represents the Ballyfermot/Drimnagh areas, says that the low figure referred on for interview and to the central unit, is evidence that a ‘softly softly’ approach can work well in many cases.
But he says it is ‘absolutely essential’ that the council has and uses its power to evict ‘troublemakers’.
‘Because make no mistake, these people make life hell for the good people who live beside them.
These are complex problems but sometimes the only solution is eviction. And we have to keep that power and more importantly use it.’
The draft report says the council will ‘take seriously, assess and investigate complaints of antisocial behaviour and treat any complaint in a confidential manner, keeping any information provided confidential, unless consent is obtained to do otherwise’.
It will also deal with all cases in accordance with fair, impartial and objective procedures and pursue legal remedies, where all other efforts have failed. The report says: ‘In promoting good estate management, local authorities and An Garda Síochána have different powers to prevent and reduce antisocial behaviour.
‘Dublin City Council commits to using its powers in full under the Housing Acts and to collaborating closely with key statutory agencies including the An Garda Síochána to prevent and reduce antisocial behaviour.
‘We will do everything we can to support our tenants in the peaceful enjoyment of their homes but we respect the separate and distinct role of An Garda Síochána to investigate and prosecute criminal acts.