Meeting sought with Garda Chief to discuss anti-social behaviour in this Tipperary town

Concerns about anti-social behaviour in Clonmel have prompted the town’s first citizen to request a meeting with the Garda Superintendent at the earliest opportunity.

District Mayor Michael Mayor has noted that a new Superintendent, Niall O’Connell, had been appointed in Clonmel.

He said he was the third Superintendent to serve in the town in the last twelve months and that was also an issue of concern.

Speaking at a meeting of Clonmel Borough District, Cllr Murphy said that the Acting Town Manager Jonathan Cooney and District Administrator Carol Creighton should also attend the meeting.

He said there were also issues around anti-social behaviour on the Blueway riverside walking and cycling trail and at the Regional Sports Hub.

Carol Creighton told the meeting that she had met with Superintendent O’Connell and had raised the concerns about anti-social behaviour in the town, at the sports hub and on the Blueway, as well as the delay in sanctioning the cctv scheme for Clonmel.

While aware of the shortages in garda numbers, the District Administrator said she had mentioned to him that the town needed the visibility of garda patrols.

She said that the Superintendent “seems to be here to stay”.

Cllr Siobhán Ambrose welcomed the fact that gardaí would patrol the Blueway on bikes.

She said that the co-ordinator at the sports hub was doing a great job but when he wasn’t there the toilets weren’t open.

She said that this was something that needed to be addressed.

Cllr Ambrose also said it wasn’t appropriate that there were no proper bins at the sports hub, and there was nothing “loud and big” in terms of a sign to indicate that it is a Regional Sports Hub.

Cllr Pat English said that a site in Elm Park that was derelict for the last 15 years was the scene of a lot of anti-social behaviour, including drug use, as well as illegal dumping.

Carol Creighton said that the co-ordinator worked at the sports hub for forty hours a week.

When he wasn’t present, people could use the toilets at the nearby TUS campus building.