Waterford Council staff face harassment and threats
Ivan Grimes, Director of Services with Waterford Council, said that the local authority takes the health and safety of employees “extremely seriously”.
Certain staff within Waterford Council are facing targeted harassment from members of the public.
This is according to Cllr Eamon Quinlan, who said that the issue is taking a toll on staff members who work to enforce the Council’s policies around parking, housing and environment.
“What I’ve noticed in the last number of years relates to staff members who we might determine as being in the enforcement end of the Council, in perhaps housing, environmental services, parking, roads, or even in customer care," Cllr Quinlan said.
“Often times, they can be identified and can be targeted through social media by individual members of the public who don’t appreciate having the rules enforced upon them.
"As councillors, we often call for action on certain individuals in certain households who are a terror to their community, whether that be for antisocial behaviour, fly-tipping etc, but I am getting concerned about the toll this is taking on staff members who can be targeted out of hours."
Cllr Quinlan added that he is aware of staff members within the Council who have been approved for medical leave as a result, and staff who have attended court to obtain protection orders from members of the public who harass them or who “come after them to settle scores”.
He asked that the Council consider putting aside an allocation of funding to provide mental health services for the impacted staff, and that staff who seek court-ruled protection orders relating to their work with the council be reimbursed.
“We are facing a recruitment crisis going forward, and it's going to be very tough to ask people to come into public service because they can be identified or targeted,” he said.
Ivan Grimes, Director of Services with Waterford Council, said that the local authority takes the health and safety of employees “extremely seriously”.
He said that the council offers training to ensure safety, and that An Garda Siochana are consulted when necessary.
