Need for high-visibility policing in Nenagh
Sinn Féin representative for the Nenagh area Damian O Donoghue has spoken out about antisocial behaviour in the town and said, “an urgent response is needed to address it”.
Mr O Donoghue said that “this issue has become a major concern for people in the town and there is a real need for high-visibility policing on the streets. “Over the last few months, I have spoken to a lot of people who are concerned about antisocial behaviour in Nenagh. It is rare for one issue to be spoken about as much.
“Without a doubt, this behaviour has people on edge and it is stopping people from coming into town at certain times of the day. Personally, I have witnessed a few low grade incidents this year but these accumulate and can add to a sense of fear for people.
“Others I have spoken to have seen worse. Staff in some local shops are dealing with continuous antisocial behaviour both inside and outside their stores, one of which was highlighted by the Guardian recently. There have also been incidents of violent assaults.
“We know from the Tipperary Joint Policing Committee figures from late last year that assaults have increased in Nenagh by 82%, and crimes against the person have increased by 80%. And these are obviously just the crimes that have been reported.
“I would urge people to report any incidents of antisocial behaviour to the gardaí as they can only take action if they know what has happened. But, as stated previously, a highly visible Garda presence on the street as often as possible is a very important aspect of dealing with the issue.
“An Garda Síochána need adequate resourcing to increase rank and file members in order to do this. Decades of underspend in this area have certainly led to some of the issues we now see.
“Generally, I believe Nenagh is a safe town, and I would not discourage people from coming into town but we have to deal with the antisocial side of it as well. I would urge all councillors and TDs to work together on this issue for the benefit of the town.”