Extension of ‘Operation Citizen’ welcomed – McAdam

The Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee T.D. has confirmed that Operation Citizen, the initiative of the Gardai to tackle anti-social behaviour and improve police visibility in the City Centre, will be extended to a seven days per week operation.

Since its inception, Operation Citizen has focused on the weekends over the Christmas and through the winter period. It has focused on public order, assaults and high volume crime in the city centre with 1,114 persons charged to date and almost 6,000 High-Visibility beats taking place.

As a further measure to increase the city centre presence of An Garda Síochana, 13A O’Connell Street has been made available to the Gardai. Prior to Easter, the Office of Public Works submitted an outline planing application to Dublin City Council requesting permission to change the permitted use of the premises and undertake renovation works. Once in place, the Gardai intend to run Operation Citizen, Operation Spire – which specifically targets anti social behaviour and drug dealing on O’Connell Street – and potentially Victim Support from this high visibility premises on the capital’s main thoroughfare.

Continued highly visible policing will provide the means to tackle ongoing problems with anti-social and criminal behaviour in our city. Such strides have been made during the last two years to enhance the public space within the City Centre, take Capel Street as an example. These must not be threatened due to a failure to provide sufficient reassurance to the public that they are safe.

Separately, I will be highlighting at the May meeting of the Dublin City Policing Committee the need for the Gardai to introduce an initiative to combat the rise in under-age drinking and the consumption of alcohol in public places like our parks and greens. I’ll provide more information on this across the coming weeks.