Tipperary TD to present rural crime petition signed by 400 at public meeting to Justice Minister

A TD plans to hand over a petition signed by 400 people concerned and fearful about criminal activity in communities in Clonmel’s rural hinterland to the Minister for Justice in the Dáil Chamber this week.

Independent Deputy Mattie McGrath showed Tipperary’s Joint Policing Committee the petition collected at the public meeting attended by more than 500 people in the Moyle Rovers GAA Sports Centre at Monroe on Thursday, October 6.

The petition states that the community of Powerstown and Lisronagh continue to be subject to “violent criminal behaviour” which is “increasing in severity and frequency”.

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The petition refers to a recent “vicious” assault on a member of the community and requests the Minister for Justice to meet with a delegation from the community to hear their concerns and fears at first-hand (see page three for more).

It also requests that the gardaí work with the community to develop and implement a Community Safety Plan for the area. Deputy McGrath told the Joint Policing Committee, which he attended remotely via Zoom, that many more people at the public meeting wanted to sign the petition but were too afraid to do so.

He told The Nationalist he plans to hand over the petition to Justice Minister Helen McEntee when he raises the concerns highlighted by residents in the Dáil Chamber this week.

Tipperary’s outgoing Garda Chief Supt Derek Smart said he had no problem with the petition and welcomed anything that would help increase resources for fighting crime in Tipperary.

He said gardaí were 100 per cent behind the community in any support it requires.

The Monroe public meeting was one of the main topics of discussion at last Friday’s meeting of the Tipperary Joint Policing Committee at Thurles Municipal District’s Offices.

Indeed, one of the petition’s requests was that the crime issue in Powerstown/Lisronagh be highlighted at the JPC meeting, which was attended by Chief Supt Smart and his successor Chief Supt Colm O’Sullivan, who this week takes over at the helm of the newly amalgamated Tipperary and Clare Garda Divisions.

Clonmel Workers & Unemployment Action Group Cllr Pat English, one of several JPC members who attended the Monroe public meeting, blamed what he saw as the “serious” increase in crime in rural communities on a combination of closing rural garda stations and a reduction in garda numbers on the streets and in the countryside.

He claimed rural areas were now “open territory” for criminals to move into and work, particularly selling drugs as they felt there was no policing and they had a free hand.

Fine Gael’s Cllr Mark Fitzgerald from Cloneen, recounted that there was a lot of anger, frustration and upset among residents at the public meeting. There was also a lot of fear and he asked what should he say to people who were too afraid to contact the gardaí because of harassment and threats.

Deputy McGrath, who last week called for an “emergency task force to be set up to tackle crime in the Clonmel area”, described the number of gardaí assigned to the Clonmel Garda District as “appalling” and claimed it was less than Kilkenny, Wexford or Thurles.

He claimed the lives of gardaí are being put in danger because of the low numbers of officers based in the district.
Deputy McGrath also highlighted the problem of gangs of men “lamping” in rural areas with dogs.

Cllr Siobhán Ambrose told the JPC meeting she often got calls from people afraid to ring the gardaí because they don’t want to give their names and are afraid of repercussions.

“That is a very big concern. The message needs to go out that you can ring; even in terms of highlighting someone acting suspiciously. You don’t need to give your name.”

The Fianna Fáil councillor also said gardaí need to be out on the beat and visible on the streets and in patrol cars. And she expressed concern about the high turn around in garda officers based in the district, which meant members of the public don’t get to know their local garda.

In relation to the Monroe public meeting, Chief Supt Smart said Clonmel Garda District Superintendent William Leahy was present at the meeting and had listened to the people of the community. He had spoken to Supt Leahy who has put in place an Operational Order to deal with the issues raised with him at the public meeting.

Supt Smart said this will include local gardaí receiving support from regional garda resources including the Garda Armed Response Unit and Criminal Assets Bureau.

He believed the progress of CCTV schemes in communities like Fethard and Littleton will be of great help in tackling rural crime.

In relation to drugs crime, he said Clonmel needed more drugs addiction support workers to help young people involved in crime due to drug abuse.

The Chief Superintendent was concerned that people were afraid to report crimes. He urged JPC members who knew such people to let the gardaí know and they could arrange to meet them. They didn’t have to call to a garda station.

Chief Supt Smart also spoke about the important role of Text Alert in tackling rural crime and highlighted how a recent Text Alert resulted in the detection of an Organised Crime Gang operating in the county and a number of people were now before the courts.

There hadn’t been Text Alert meetings during the Covid-19 pandemic but over the next few weeks, the division’s Crime Prevention Officer, Sergeant Tom O’Dwyer, will be contacting the committee officers of Text Alert groups to arrange meetings in communities.

In relation to the problem of groups lamping with lurchers and trespassing on private property, he urged members of the public to get information to the gardaí early.

“Get the number of the car rather than engage with them. That is the type of evidence we need.” He also advised people to record evidence on their mobile phone for the gardaí. He pointed out that the Wildlife Act gave gardaí strong powers to prosecute people caught mistreating wildlife.