Gangs take over people’s flats to use for drug deals

‘WE’VE seen it in the north inner city where one or two people can move into an area and just destroy things for everybody else.’

Nial Ring is a councillor in Dublin’s north inner city which has some of the highest reported anti-social behaviour in local authorityowned housing.

‘We had a family move into an estate here whose son had murdered the son of another family in the complex.

‘The council placed the families right beside each other despite being told of the circumstances and being warned what would happen.

‘Every time the mother of the lad who was murdered walked by the family house, they made intimidating gestures.

‘The north inner city is a great place to live where the vast, vast majority are ordinary decent people but you get rotten apples like this and it ruins the reputation for everybody.

‘No one should have to put up with it. We have to get the message across, just because you have a council flat once, it doesn’t mean you’re entitled to one for life, you have to behave. In years gone by, we had the residents committee and they had a say in the running of the estate and that was a good system and one I’d like to see again.’

Sinn Féin councillor Daithí Doolan, who represents Ballyfermot and Drimnagh, said there are many vulnerable people in councilowned properties who are preyed on by others.

Mr Doolan said: ‘Many of the drug dealers live in posh homes in the suburbs and they take over a council property to deal. The person in that house is as terrified as anyone else on the estate.’

A Dublin City Council’s housing committee meeting recently heard about a woman who took her life after her flat was taken over by a gang to sell drugs.