*Photograph: Joe Buckley
HOUSES in Finian Park are “continuously being pelted” with rocks and stones, a Shannon representative has highlighted with criticism growing over the lack of Garda presence in the town.
In a proposal before the Shannon Municipal District, Cllr Donna McGettigan (SF) asked, “in order to protect houses in Finian facing onto the Boreen (Slí na Mara) that are continuously being pelted with items such as rocks and stones, that something be put in place in order to help to stop this behaviour”.
Overgrowth was removed from the location in 2023, senior executive engineer in the Shannon MD, Tom Mellett recalled. He said a hedge cutter would visit the walkway “to ensure any grow back is kept to a minimum. Our mini road sweeper travels this location on a regular basis to clear any debris. If issues persist the option of removing all remaining vegetation on the housing side will be considered. I have also requested an assessment of the public lighting here”.
Gardaí have received a list of complaints from residents of the “few houses along this road,” Cllr McGettigan advised. Broken windows is among the damage to houses in the locality, she said. “More Gardaí would help to solve this,” Sinn Féin’s sole representative on the local authority maintained.
There is a disconnect growing between An Garda Síochána and the communities they serve, Cllr Gerry Flynn (IND) stated. “Since the Joint Policing Committee came into being they expect councillors to be involved in that but they will soon take our role out of that. There are over fifty Gardaí in Shannon so it would be fantastic to see a Garda on the beat but we never see it”.
He continued, “It is a law and order issue. Their weapon is a rock and stone, removing vegetation from the front of the houses would only give them a better shot of it. Gardaí seem to have a reluctance to attend meetings with public representatives and resident groups, I know because I tried to organise one last year”.
Flynn concluded, “There is a whole disconnect between people feeling safe in their community and it is a shame”.
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