Deputy Garda Commissioner Angela Willis has pledged 48 new recruits to Dublin as Tánaiste Michael Martin says “certain areas” of Dublin are “are not safe to traverse at night”, reports RTE.
Speaking at a media event in Curragh Barracks, the Fianna Fáil leader said that “basically speaking Dublin is safe”. However, he admitted “there are concerns” about some areas, reports RTE.
Martin condemned the “vicious attacks” that have taken place in Dublin in recent weeks, including last week’s attack on an American citizen in Talbot Street.
Stephen Termini was attacked in Store Street, Dublin and remains in intensive care at Beaumont Hospital.
Yesterday, a 14-year-old boy was charged with assault and battery.
Martin also dismissed suggestions that gardaí were “invisible” and said officers were visible on the streets.
Willis, deputy commissioner in charge of the Dublin metropolitan area, said new recruits would soon be made in the capital to increase gardaí visibility.
Deputy Commissioner Willis, who said he could not comment on the matter as it was pending in court, said 48 new gardaí would be recruited in the Dublin region over the next two weeks.
11 Templemore alumni will be sent to Dublin North Central and 10 to Dublin South Central, with the remainder deployed across the capital.
A Sinn Féin councilor who attended the KWP meeting with Deputy Commissioner Willis said the meeting was dominated by the attack on Mr Termini.
The Mayor of Dublin, Daithy de Royst, said the number of gardaí working at stations in Dublin’s north city center had fallen by 4% since the start of the year, reports RTE.
It is one of 27 Guards divisions that have seen frontline numbers reduced since January.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Mr de Royste said there was a perception that Dublin was unsafe at the moment.
“For my part, I believe Dublin is a safe city in the main and we are always going to have instances, but the perception of Dublin is that it is unsafe at the moment, that we do have a lot of anti-social behaviour on the streets. We see these instances in recent weeks about what’s happening and I’m saying it’s simply not good enough and we need an urgent response to address this,” reports RTE.
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