Dublin city centre ‘scourged with anti-social behaviour, drug-dealing, gang intimidation’

Dublin city centre is “scourged with antisocial behaviour, drug dealing, drug consumption and by gangs who create a daily atmosphere of fear and intimidation”, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has said.

“This remains the case seven months after a complete collapse of law and order during the Dublin riots” and despite the “big promises” that were made by Government, she said.

The Dublin Central TD was speaking in the Dáil as she expressed her sympathies to the family of Canadian tourist Neno Dolmajian who died in hospital on Tuesday, nine days after an attack on O’Connell Street.

Four people have been arrested in connection with the attack and two men have appeared in court.

Ms McDonald said Mr Dolmajian came to Dublin to experience “all the greatness” of the city but “it is heartbreaking” that he never went home.

She added that “the vicious attack that led to Mr Dolmajian’s death again highlights the harsh reality that our city centre is not safe. And I say this as a very proud Dubliner.

“The truth is Dublin city centre is scourged with antisocial behaviour, drug dealing, drug consumption and by gangs who create a daily atmosphere of fear and intimidation.”

Ms McDonald said the city “needs proper ongoing Garda presence on a scale necessary to meet this challenge” to “ensure that people are safe and that the centre of our city is returned to the people”.

Taoiseach Simon Harris said he was “absolutely appalled” at the attack that led to Mr Dolmajian’s death and he also expressed his sympathies to the dead man’s family.

He said last weekend hundreds of thousands of people safely enjoyed Dublin when they came to Croke Park for GAA matches or to attend one of four concerts on in various locations and to participate in the Pride festival.

Mr Harris said that 157 new gardaí graduated from Templemore Garda College last week and 102 of them have been assigned to Dublin.

And he said a new Garda operation, Operation Irene, had started to run for the summer months across the Dublin metropolitan region, to tackle antisocial behaviour.

The fatal attack on Mr Dolmajian was also raised by Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín who expressed his sympathies to the family.

“Ireland is becoming a dangerous place, and there’s hardly a street in a town or a city where people are not living in fear. And this is not happening by accident,” he said. “I believe that the Government are soft on crime and the Government are soft on the causes of crime as well.”

Mr Tóibín said sentences were becoming more lenient and the number of appeals against leniency had doubled in the past eight years with 22 per cent of appeals for undue leniency in 2016 compared to 42 per cent of appeals last year.

“That’s a staggering change,” he said.