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Peter Lawlor along with Dublin MEP Mary Lou McDonald, Cllr. Dessie Ellis and Cllr Larry O Toole Our communities Good planning makes all the difference to community and family life, yet there are so many examples of bad planning throughout Ireland. Many decisions have favoured developers and speculators over the rest of us. The result is that entire communities often have to live with the consequences of these decisions for decades afterwards. Lack of schools, a shortage of proper housing and poor public services can have a very negative impact on peoples' lives. Bad planning can also undermine public safety, reducing the chances of creating healthy communities and affecting how we feel about where we live. In order for communities to be sustainable, desirable places to live, they should meet the following criteria:
Reasonable access to local amenities such as
Making our communities safer
People have the right to feel safe in their communities and in their city. They have the right to use and enjoy public spaces such as parks and green areas without fear. However, probably because of a combination of media reporting and actual increases in some types of crime, it seems that we feel less safe than we used to.
While it is true that the Gardaí and the criminal justice system cannot create safer communities on their own, we do believe that the deployment of Garda does not always correspond to the actual safety and security needs of local communities. Nor are Gardaí accountable to the communities they serve. However, local authorities and communities have a hugely important role to play in cooperation with and in addition to the Gardaí.
With the right policies, prevention is possible. One example is that many children at risk of becoming involved in crime and other anti-social behaviour are easily identifiable. Local authorities must ensure that resources and family support services focus on these areas. Indeed planning decisions, entirely within the powers of local authorities, can also have an important impact on children's and therefore whole communities' chances.
Also, working with the Joint Policing Committees, we have been to the fore in highlighting problems at local level and in calling for a greater Garda presence on the streets. We want to see:
Take part in our Survey on Community Safety by completing the questionnaire below and send to helenmack@eircom.net Dublin North Central
Address/ location (please indicate the street or area where you currently live) _________________________________________________________________ 1. Do you feel more or less safe in your local area now compared to 3 years ago? [ ]more safe [ ]less safe [ ]no change
2. Are there any public spaces in your local area that you are reluctant to use, e.g. laneways, parks, shopping centres, car-parks If yes, please identify the type of space and when you might not use it. _____________________________________________________________________
3. Please tick any concerns you have regarding your local area [ ] Noise disturbance [ ] Fear of break-in/theft [ ] Verbal abuse of any kind [ ] Other threatening behaviour [ ] Graffiti [ ] Damage to public property [ ] Damage to private property (cars, windows) [ ] People being drunk or rowdy [ ] People using or dealing drugs [ ] Fear of physical assault [ ] Fear of gun crime [ ] Other (please specify) ________________________________________________
4. Are there any particular times when you think the problem is worse? (e.g. during the day, at night, weekends) ____________________________________________________________________
5. Which measure do you think would be most effective in tackling crime and anti-social behaviour? (please mark out of 10) More frequent Garda patrols ___/10 by foot/ bicycle/ car (please circle) Increased CCTV surveillance in public areas ___/10 Increase number of Youth Liaison Officers ___/10 More rigorous enforcement of current legislation ___/10 Enforce ASBOs___/10 Other ___/10 (please specify)____________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________
6. Which measures might be effective in building community trust and making your area safer? _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________
7 a). Do you think there are enough leisure and recreational opportunities for people living in your area? [ ]yes [ ]no [ ]unsure
7 b). If no to 7a) where are the gaps (in your view) __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
8. How might people be encouraged to participate in local activities that would contribute to making your community safer? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Thank you for taking the time to complete this questionnaire. This will inform Sinn Féin's work by enabling us to campaign more effectively for the resources needed to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour and to make our communities safer for everyone
Please return this questionnaire to helenmack@eircom.netor ring 087 2455519 to arrange for its collection.
Helen McCormack
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