A special policing plan will be implemented in Salthill and Knocknacarra over the Easter period to deal with antisocial behaviour.
Concerns were raised about recent issues in the area during Monday's Joint Policing Committee meeting.
Youths congregated in the Millars Lane area last Saturday evening with residents extremely bothered. A number of councillors, including Donal Lyons and Niall McNeilis, highlighted the worrying trend.
Chief Superintendent Tom Curley said that extra resources will be used to deal with the situation and a plan for the Easter break is imminent.
"I'm a firm believer that borders shouldn't exist in relation to policing, Chief Supt Curley stated. "Should the need arise that is where we will put the resources," he said. "I have no doubt that Inspector Ryan will be putting a policing plan together for the Easter break and it will arrive on my desk."
More gardaí deployed
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The Chief Superintendent also suggested that more guards could be deployed in the area in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, Cllr Lyons praised Cllr McNeilis, who is the chairperson of the Joint Policing Committee.
"I want to compliment yourself as the chair for organising the various meetings with Inspector Ryan, Sergeant Jennings, and Sergeant Walsh and the community garda in Salthill with regard to the youths congregating," said Cllr Lyons. "You have been upfront yourself as a chair about this. The numbers that are congregating are worrying."
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Cllr McNeilis acknowledged the gardaí in Salthill for providing assistance. "We have an issue in the Salthill-Knocknacarra area," Cllr McNeilis remarked. "We are working with the Garda station in Salthill and I want to thank them for their help. We do have Easter coming up with the schools closed and the weather hopefully should be good, but unfortunately the restrictions will be in play. I'm urging that we will look at it as a matter of priority for the entire city, those two weeks."
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Cllr Clodagh Higgins believes a 'multi-agency approach' could help. "While I accept this is a really difficult time for all, we need a multi-agency approach to matters," Cllr Higgins says. "As a result I have written to the chair of the Joint Policing Committee requesting that a meeting is set up immediately with resident groups, gardaí, the local retail park and schools in the area to tackle this issue head on because, quite simply, enough is enough."
Cllr Higgins wants parents to 'take some responsibility' in order to prevent further disturbances.
"In ordinary times this would be dreadful carry on, but having it happen during a pandemic is just wrong on so many levels," Cllr Higgins said. "Parents need to take some responsibility for this especially given many at this unauthorised party were teenagers."
