Chairperson of the Athlone Drug Awareness Group, Cllr Frankie Keena, has expressed his continuing concern pertaining to the issue of drug dealing and drinking in public areas of Athlone.
Addressing his fellow councillors and local authority executive at the most recent sitting of Athlone-Moate Municipal District, the Fianna Fáil elected representative noted the urgent need to resolve this serious issue, noting that he had been asked by local communities and businesses to be their voice in highlighting this matter in the hope of getting a solution.
“I would like to preface this discussion by saying that this drug dealing problem is not unique to Athlone, in fact it is in every town and village throughout the country. If anyone says otherwise, then they are not living in the real world and I do feel that as a local authority we also have a role to play in this in making our voices known.
“The public is continuously contacting me looking for answers, saying that they have made reports to Gardai on various drug dealing sightings and locations. I am confident that relevant action is taken on such information but in the eyes of the public the drug dealing continues. This lack of communication needs to be improved.
“People from some residential estates have issues of drug dealing in open spaces with the knock-on effect of them living in fear, while businesses in the Custume Place area have informed me that they have submitted numerous emails and made numerous calls to the Garda Station looking for immediate action to address the open drug dealing and associated anti-social behaviour in their location, but unfortunately the dealing continues. This does not portray the town in a good way to the visiting tourist or locals going out for a meal,” Cllr Keena asserted.
The councillor stated that the drug dealers were “ruthless individuals solely concerned with making money in any way that they can”.
“These drug dealers are ruthless individuals who are not worried about people’s health but only care about making money in anyway they can. They are now gone so brazen in that they have no worries about dealing in broad daylight.
“Unfortunately, through their illicit activity, they are luring young people into the trade with the offer of easy money. If someone runs up a serious debt from a drug dealer that person’s immediate and wider family are prime targets for intimidation where injuries to a person and severe damage to a person’s property can take place.
“At all times, I encourage the public to share any relevant information to the Gardai and this can be accommodated in a confidential manner. The Gardai are conducting good work with the resources that they have, through the Community Policing and Drug Units, but it is very obvious that these resources are not adequate.
“The absence of Gardai walking the streets or cycling into the estates during the day and evening time is so obvious which allows the drug dealers a free run. Extra Gardai are required to be deployed on the streets and in that regard, I would like to extend an open invitation to Gardai to attend a future District meeting and discuss these matters,” Cllr Keena concluded.
In response, a spokesperson for the council executive stated that such unlawful activities were “considered to be matters for An Garda Siochana and sgould be raised directly with the Superintendent in the Athlone Garda Division or at the next Joint Policing Committee meeting.”
