COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF TALLAGHT AREA COMMITTEE

Monday, October 24, 2022

QUESTION NO.

QUESTION: Councillor C. O'Connor

"To ask the CEO to report on all actions being taken to deal with concerns regarding safety for park users in Sean Walsh Park; will he confirm contacts with An Garda Siochana in the matter; will he give assurances and will he make a statement?"

REPLY:

Supervisory staff from the Council's Public Realm Section have regular contact and meetings with An Garda Siochana in relation to many issues and areas and this includes Sean Walsh Park.  At a meeting in Sean Walsh Park in April of this year which was attended by Public Realm staff and community gardai from Tallaght station a number of specific locations were examined and discussed and the views of the Gardai were sought on the matter.   In general the Gardai are of the view that more lighting and more cctv would assist them in their work however they accept that providing lighting in a park location is not always possible. 

The location of the serious assault which took place on March 18th in the park was examined and discussed at the on-site meeting in April. The Gardai are of the view that improved visibility and lighting in this particular area, at the top of the hill close to the 'blue bridge', might help to avert an attack at this location in the future.   The footpath from the blue bridge down to the roundabout and entrance to Old Bawn Community School is the only route through the park that is currently lit, an undertaking was given to examine this area to establish if the existing lighting on the pathway could be augmented to provide some degree of lighting on the hill as this might act as a deterrent to someone taking cover in the trees and bushes at the top of the hill.  The Public Lighting Section has been asked to consider this request and to report back with regard to what is required.  The views of the Council's heritage officer will need to be obtained, to determine if any increase in the level of lighting in the park might have a detrimental impact on wildlife in the park.  If additional lighting or modifications to existing lighting are to be made then these works will be considered for inclusion in the 2023 improvement works programme.

In addition to the above the Council's park rangers have been asked to increase their visits to the park and to liaise with the community gardai in relation to any issues that come to their attention.