Safer DublinTown
It is vital that visitors, workers and shoppers feel the city centre is a pleasant place to spend time. DublinTown is committed to working with the Gardaí and other groups to ensure that the city centre is a safe place to socialise, shop and do business.
In particular, we are focused upon the issue of anti-social behaviour and the way in which it impacts our members’ businesses and people visiting the city. We urge our members to continue reporting any crimes or incidents of anti-social behaviour that they may witness or experience in their business or area. This will ensure that as many perpetrators as possible are brought to justice and the area becomes a safer place.
We continue to lobby on behalf of our members’ business interests with regards to issues that may directly and negatively impact the safety and security of the area.
Working With the Gardaí
DublinTown work closely with the Gardaí in both Pearse Street and Store Street Stations. We regularly organise briefings on crime and fraud prevention and liaise with the community Gardaí to provide support to DublinTown members where needed.
DublinTown represents its members on the Joint Policing Forum. The forum, which meets monthly, brings together Gardaí, politicians and representative bodies to discuss issues relating to the policing of the city. We Are DublinTown represents the voice of city centre business in discussions around concerns such as crime levels, anti-social behaviour and the concentration of social infrastructure in the city centre.
Reporting a Crime
It is imperative that if a crime takes place on your premises that it is reported to the Gardaí. While it can be frustrating to go to court only to see a case postponed, if crimes are not reported and followed through with witness statements then the perpetrators of these crimes will not be brought to justice. It is more important than ever to contact the Gardaí if you are a victim of a crime.
Store Street Garda Station
Pearse Street Garda Station
Strategic Response Group
The Strategic Response Group (SRG) was a partnership set up to address public substance misuse and perceived anti-social behaviour in Dublin city centre.
The SRG was independently chaired and its membership includes representatives of the following organisations: Ana Liffey Drug Project; An Garda Síochána; City Clinic (HSE); Drug treatment centre board; DublinTown; Dublin City Council; Dublin Simon Community; Merchants Quay Ireland; the North Inner City Local Drugs Task Force; the South Inner City Local Drugs Task Force; the Union for Improved Services, Communication and Education (UISCE).
The work of the SRG was responsible for creating meaningful change in the provision of service both in Dublin City Centre and beyond.
Anti-social Behaviour
The aim of DublinTown is to take positive practical steps to tackle anti-social behaviour. Some of the ways in which we do this are:
- We work with the Gardaí to help inform members of initiatives in their area
- Report and record incidents of anti-social behaviour – these are sent to the Gardaí on a weekly basis to help inform policy
- Work with members through our Area Action Groups to address specific local issues e.g. the gating of problematic laneways
- Support of the Ana Liffey Drug Project who work with people experiencing addiction, to minimise the harm that problematic drug use causes them, their families and the wider community
- We provide additional street lighting to ensure increased safety on darker streets and lanes.
Lobbying & Development
One of the issues that we have raised on behalf of our members is the disproportionate amount of social infrastructure in the city centre. This does a disservice both to the people who need assistance and to the business community. It has also been proven that that the location of social infrastructure can have a negative impact on inward investment.
We have raised this point at many levels and will continue to campaign for positive action. We have had success in the past with our opposition of the Bridge Project Prisoner Rehabilitation Centre which was proposed for Wolfe Tone Square. We also made submissions for the Begging Legislation and our suggestion that the organisation of begging be considered a crime was included in the revised legislation.