A “safety plan” for Dublin’s north inner city, involving the deployment of “safety wardens” and upgrades to key commercial streets including O’Connell Street and Talbot Street, will be published today by Minister for Justice Helen McEntee.
The Dublin North Inner City Local Community Safety Plan aims to tackle drug dealing, street crime and dumping. It will also combat the “rumour culture” and “fake news” particularly in relation to “racial stereotypes” about those fleeing war and other international protection applicants.
Health outcomes of residents are also dealt with in the plan, with a particular focus on obesity, vaccination uptake, and domestic violence and coercive control.
The plan outlines 50 actions across five priority areas: “drugs, inclusion-health and antisocial behaviour”; “family, youth and community”; “education and life-long learning”; “integration, ethnic and multi-faith inclusion”; and “physical environment”.
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Its publication follows the hospitalisation of a man on Thursday following a suspected assault at Harbour Court Lane, near Abbey Street in the north inner city. Gardaí said the victim was taken to hospital with “non life-threatening injuries”.
However, Ms McEntee earlier in the summer signalled her intention to publish the plan, when she announced an additional €10 million for policing in Dublin following a succession of violent assaults in the city.
The plan notes that despite ongoing Garda initiatives, “there remains a prevailing narrative that the north inner city is unsafe”. Among its key recommendations is the introduction of “community safety wardens” who will operate on a pilot basis in Wolfe Tone Square and surrounding streets and O’Connell Street.
The aim of the warden scheme is to “provide an increasing feeling of safety and act as an additional opportunity to observe and report issues of concern for antisocial behaviour”. They would have additional duties in relation to “waste management” and tourist information, as well as providing information to “vulnerable members of our community” in relation to support services and making referrals where appropriate.
The plan will be overseen by the Local Community Safety Partnership with roles for various State agencies, business groups and voluntary organisations.
Dublin City Council will be responsible for several actions with a focus on the physical environment of the north inner city through tackling illegal dumping and increasing green infrastructure. However, it has also been tasked, in consultation with the local community gardaí and business groups, to “improve and maintain public domain in areas identified as hotspots of on-street drug dealing and antisocial behaviour”.
Part of this work will involve efforts to “refresh key streets” within the core commercial district. “Priority areas to include O’Connell Street, Talbot Street, Moore Street and Capel Street,” the report says.
The Health Service Executive will have a role, along with other service providers in running an outreach programme focused on assisting drug users. It will also take a lead in protecting other vulnerable residents who may be victims of relationship domestic violence and coercive control. In addition, it will run a mobile health unit providing guidance on issues such as childhood vaccination, breastfeeding and obesity.
Various targets and timelines have been set for the 50 actions, which will be monitored by the partnership and subject to quarterly reviews.
