‘People are miserable’ in Waterford estate due to constant anti-social behaviour

“People are miserable” in a housing estate in County Waterford due to constant anti-social behaviour in the area, a council meeting has heard.

The issues in Gallows Hill in Dungarvan were raised by Fianna Fáil councillor Tom Cronin at the October meeting of the Dungarvan-Lismore District.

Cllr Cronin said: “I’m raising it regularly but very little, I have to say, is being done there. I got photographs in recent times of one particular part of it where a lot of fires have been lit.

“Burned out bed mattresses, I think would be the easiest way to explain what’s there. Furniture in some cases as well.

“Now the residents are living alongside that. Really and truly I don’t think they’re the cause of it, to be fair.”

He told the meeting that people were coming from a nearby estate in engaging in anti-social behaviour there.

“You’ve visitors coming in from another housing estate nearby. It’s totally unfair.”

“It’s bicycles not all that long ago, scramblers, anti-social behaviour, people drinking very close to Gallows’ Hill, dumping rubbish there, fires. It’s ongoing year after year.”

Cllr Cronin concluded by saying that whilst the gardaí and the council have both shifted the blame, both parties need to take responsibility for the issue.

“To be fair, we know very little about it. It’s a garda issue right but when you talk to the gardaí, they’ll tell you it’s a council issue.

“It’s being passed around like and it’s about time there was a little bit of co-operation with both.

“It’s totally wrong that fires are ongoing. They’re there probably once a week, to be fair.”

These sentiments were echoed by independent councillor Joe O’Riordan, who also called for action on the issue.

Cllr O’Riordan said: “I’d like to support Cllr Cronin in what he’s saying. I got a video last night of two young fellas coming out of a nearby estate on horses and they were racing up and down the road.

“There’s an element of animal welfare in that and I’ll be forwarding the video to the environments section.

“People are miserable inside in that estate with the trouble and messing and everything like that that they put up with.”

He went on to say that the people living in the estate should not have to put up with such behaviour.

“It’s about time we as a council took the horns on this now and decided to do something about it because it’s really not fair.

“People who have worked hard all their lives and they’re living with that nonsense outside their door.”

In response, Dawn Wallace, Senior Executive Officer at Waterford City and County Council, said the issue was a matter for the gardaí.

Ms Wallace said: “I’d just like to reinforce that this is a garda issue. It’s anti-social behaviour, it’s not an environment issue.

“We don’t have the staff and it’s not in our remit to undertake community safety initiatives.”