COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Tuesday, February 11, 2020

HEADED ITEM NO. 5

 

REPORT FROM JOINT POLICING COMMITTEE

Report from South Dublin County Joint Policing Committee meeting held at 3p p.m. on Friday 31^st January 2020 in County Hall, Tallaght.

In Attendance: (Committee Members)

Cllr Emma Murphy (Chair); Cllr Yvonne Collins; Cllr Mick Duff; Cllr Emer Higgins; Cllr Shane Moynihan; Cllr Eoin O Broin; Cllr. Liona O’Toole; Cllr William Priestley; Cllr Mary Seery Kearney; Chief Superintendent Kevin Gralton, Garda Síochána; Superintendent Seamus Dalton, Garda Síochána; Brian Hora, SDCC; Ann Corrigan, PPN; Emer Meighan, PPN; Michael Noonan, PPN; Gemma Carton, Garda Diversion;

Apologies:

Cllr Louise Dunne; Cllr Baby Pereppadam; Chief Superintendent Finbarr Murphy, Garda Síochána; Colm Ward, SDCC; Enda Creegan PPN

Also present:

Noreen Byrne, North Clondalkin LPF; Andy Lane, SDCC; Superintendent Ian Lackey, Garda Síochána; Superintendent Paul Dolan, Garda Síochána; Inspector Gerard McAlly, Garda Síochána;

The following is a summary of the business considered at the JPC meeting: 

1. Minutes of Previous Meeting

The minutes of the previous meeting of the Committee held on 22nd November 2019 were noted and agreed by the Committee.

2. Governance

2.1 Agenda Items:

The Chair sought to clarify to members of the JPC how items/issues can be included on the agenda of the JPC. Items cannot be submitted through the CMAS system, they should be raised with the Chair three weeks prior to a JPC meeting to be considered at the JPC Agenda Planning meeting and if appropriate then included on the agenda. It was agreed that the Chair would brief all Councillors on this process.

2.2 Vacancies:

In the light of the General Election it was agreed that the vacancies in Oireachtas members would be addressed after the election.

3. Correspondence

It was noted correspondence was received from the Lucan/Palmerstown/Fonthill Area Committee supporting the establishment of a LPF in Lucan Adamstown after the agenda was circulated. It weas agreed to consider the correspondence at the next Agenda Planning Meeting.

4. JPC Annual Report

The draft Annual Report had been circulated and it was agreed to include an introduction by the Chair. With this addition the Report was agreed in principle to be circulated to the Policing authority, the Minister for Justice and the County Council.

5. JPC Strategic Plan 2016-2022 Progress Report & New Actions

The report was received, progress on objectives noted and the new actions raised at the September 2019 JPC meeting were also noted. It was agreed to discuss these further at the next Agenda Planning meeting.

PPN- JPC representatives had identified hate crime as an issue. The PPN had held an “Understanding Hate Crime Seminar” on the 3^rd September 2019. It was agreed to include this as a possible new action. The report from the PPN to be circulated to JPC members.

6. Garda Reports

Reports were circulated by Superintendent Seamus Dolan on behalf of the DMRW region and by Chief Superintendent Kevin Gralton on behalf of the DMRS region. The reports and issues raised covered:

• Occurence & timing of assaults in the Tallaght area in comparison with Dublin city centre area where they are mainly at night
• There had been an increase in burglaries particularly in the Rathfarnham area
• Catalytic converters being taken from 2004-2007 Toyota Prius cars
• The Divisional Youth Awards, Operation Tram Watch, Santa parties
• Community policing numbers
• Drug Unit activity (GNDOCB is the National Drug Unit)
• How are parents being supported to get involved in addressing drug usage?
• Drug intimidation in Tallaght
• Multiple arrests of the same person and the constitutional element of bail
• Community follow up by the Gardai up after an incident has taken place
• Currently in Tallaght there are currently 6,500 active investigations
• Burnt out cars in Killinarden Park
• The policy on the pursuit of vehicles particularly those driving the wrong way along dual carriageways, the need to balance safety against catching criminals
• Response times vary dependant on demand and time of request
• Potential legislation on scramblers could give Gardai extra powers
• Number of Gardai in Rathfarnham and an increase in drug usage in Rathfarnham and Whitechurch
• Praise given for the capture of a known criminal in the Castletymon area
• Appreciation of cooperation from other agencies
• Taxi cabs being targeted
• Theft from cars
• Increases in the possession of drugs
• Increased drug driving detection
• A rise in burglaries in the new estates in Rathcoole
• Tools being stolen from vans and the need to encourage trackers being placed on heavy duty plant
• Presentations to the elderly on community safety
• Grand canal both covert and overt operations taking place, working with customs in relation to stop and searches
• Has crime been analysed to identify hotspots?
• Are bookmakers being targeted?
• What is the current level of policing in Clondalkin?
• Thefts from MPVs
• The use of anti-burglary patrols
• Operation Trophy along the canal a joint intervention with the Council, Waterways Ireland and Irish Rail
• There is an increase in drug searches in Lucan and Adamstown which emphasises the need for an LPF in Lucan
• Adamstown youth intervention measures are needed
• What is the timeframe for Operation Trophy?
• Drug litter and the need to report and link in with the Council
• Castletymon shops- the lighting is a problem and needs to be upgraded - responsibility for same to be ascertained.

7. Local Policing Fora Report

7.1 Councillor Membership on LPFs:

• Clondalkin Local Policing Forum One Vacancy: Nomination to be received
• D12 Local Policing Forum One Vacancy: Cllr Mary Seary Kearney nominated
• North Clondalkin, Lucan & Palmerstown Policing Forum One Vacancy: Cllrs Lisa Kinsella- Colman, Guss O’Connell, Shane Moynihan nominated agreed that they be asked to identify one person and report to next JPC
• Tallaght Local Policing Forum Two Vacancies: Cllr Charlie O’Connor nominated with one vacancy from Tallaght South

7.2 Clondalkin LPF

The Clondalkin report was noted.

7.3 D12 LPF:

The D12 section of the report was noted with a Public Meeting on the 4^th February 2020

7.4 West Tallaght LPF:

The West Tallaght report was noted.

7.5 North Clondalkin, Lucan and Palmerstown LPF:

The North Clondalkin report was noted. which also covered:

• The illegal campsite in Balgaddy/Foxborough giving access to fires and the dumping of rubbish
• Very young children being used in the drug trade
• Funding for Halloween: recommendation that SDCC set-aside/ring fence a budget specifically for Halloween activities in North Clondalkin, Lucan and Balgaddy. It was noted that there is separate funding for Halloween outside of community grants and there is a separate call for Halloween funding later in the year. It was agreed that the North Clondalkin Community Safety Forum should engage with the Council’s Community Team to set out a programme for Halloween activities in North Clondalkin, Lucan and Balgaddy.
• Establishing a Garda Youth Diversion Project (GYDP) in Balgaddy: It was agreed to write to the Department of Justice seeking the criteria for the setting up of new Garda Diversion projects and to indicate a desire to set one up for the Balgaddy area.

8. Halloween      

The report was noted.

9. Drug Subcommittee

The report was noted and it was agreed that the subcommittee should meet to consider progress on the workplan and report to the next JPC

10. Any Other Business

The Chair noted the length of time spent on the Garda report and agreed to look at restructuring the meetings to ensure adequate time for community input.

11. Upcoming JPC Meetings

The programme of JPC meetings for 2020 is:

Date	Time	Place
Friday 31st January 2020	3.00pm	County Hall, Tallaght
Friday 24th April 2020	3.00pm	County Hall, Tallaght
Friday 18th September 2020	3.00pm	County Hall, Tallaght
Friday 20th November 2020	3.00pm	County Hall, Tallaght