Call for long-term approach to Dublin’s inner-city issues

Public representatives from Dublin’s inner city have called for Taoiseach Enda Kenny to urgently address the problems in the area.

Speaking on their way into a meeting with Mr Kenny, TDs and councillors from the inner city said they expected the details of a taskforce dealing with the issue to be outlined by the Taoiseach.

Sinn Féin deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald said the body had been promised by the Government several weeks ago but the finer details needed to be outlined.

She said questions remained about whether the taskforce was statutory, what area it would cover and how the community can be involved.

Ms McDonald said: “We are looking for evidence of a real long-term commitment in the area.

“We don’t want quick fixes because there is none available. We don’t want to be patronised. We don’t want a pat on the head for the north inner city. We want a strategy, resources and interventions that are long-term, deep-rooted and that will make a difference.”

Mr Kenny visited the inner city last week with several of his Ministers including the Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Paschal Donohoe.

The Government had promised the establishment of a taskforce to examine and address the issues in the city.

Former lord mayor of Dublin Christy Burke said the terms of reference needed to be swift and its work needed to be complete within two years.

Mr Burke said meetings on policy or reports were a waste of time and insisted action was now needed.

He said: “We want the grip of fear removed. I have grandchildren who have walked through three crime scenes from Ballybough to Marlborough Street.

"You had young men and women sitting their Leaving Certs and Junior Certs in the Larkin college in the middle of these crime scenes. It is not an ideal situation."

The meeting is scheduled to last up to two hours.