Meetings between local gardaí and Waterford councillors to be re-established

Meetings between the gardaí and district councillors are to be re-established, Dungarvan-Lismore District Council has been told.

District manager Ivan Grimes said at the July sitting of the district council that he has been looking at arranging a meeting at whole council level.

The gardaí, he said, were open to a forum but felt local arrangements would be far more effective.

“It’s actually far more effective if we can do it at a local level based on our previous experience, and I’m pretty sure the local superintendent would be happy to accommodate that,” said Mr Grimes. Mr Grimes was responding to a request made by Cllr Thomas Phelan. Cllr Phelan asked what staff resources the council had in estate management and if a private meeting could be held with gardaí to discuss anti-social behaviour in housing estates. Representing the Housing Section, Senior Architect Walter Holden responded that the tenancy team are in regular contact with the gardaí.

“In regards to gardaí, our tenancy team are constantly in contact in touch with the gardaí. I would go as far as to say every day they are in touch with a member of the gardaí,” said Mr Holden.

He also said a new staff member had started in the estate management team within the last two weeks.

Mr Grimes pointed out that when such a meeting is organised, it wouldn’t just focus on housing estates: "The matters that are discussed at those are not just about anti-social behaviour in estates, they are about anti-social behaviour generally."

“Anti-social behaviour is criminality. It is legally defined as that, so we can organise that," said Mr Grimes.

Cllr Phelan asked that a member of the tenancy team be included in that meeting, to which Mr Grimes said they can be, provided if available.