#NorthStrand Matters – January 2024

FAIRVIEW PARK UPDATE

The first weekend of this year saw further vandalism and anti-social behaviour in Fairview Park. In response, I secured an emergency debate at the January meeting of Dublin City Council on the issue. We must have improved policing, better cleaning and a better public amenity for all. I have attached a copy of my Emergency Motion for your information.

For the umpteenth time in the last twelve months, a motor vehicle was driven into the park, in large part due to the access changes made by the Parks Department of Dublin City Council. The playing pitches of Sheriff YC, Belvedere FC and East Wall Bessborough FC were vandalised and are now out of commission. I am working to secure their repairs. While this particular incident has left inner city soccer clubs devastated and young players without anywhere now to play their games, the wider issue of public safety in Fairview Park needs to be addressed.

I have regularly highlighted this problem with the Assistant Garda Commissioner for Dublin and officials in the Parks Department of Dublin City Council for the last twelve months. While there are some improvements, particularly from a policing perspective, they have been short-lived. What is needed is an effective policing plan for Fairview Park, where officers from Clontarf and Store Street work together to rid the park of the blatant drug dealing and other anti-social behaviour taking place.

Equally, we need the Parks Department and the Waste Management Section of Dublin City Council to get their act together and better maintain Fairview Park. I want existing bins emptied more regularly and additional bins installed. So many of you that have been in touch with me stressing just how reluctant you are to use it, primarily due to the lack of quality cleaning, upkeep and policing.

We can do much better. I believe, on foot of my Emergency Motion, passed unanimously by Councillors, that we have the plan that the Gardai and City Council can follow and implement.

Let’s make 2024 the year, we reclaim Fairview Park for Dubliners who want and demand a safe, family-friendly and sports friendly place to relax, socialise and enjoy.

Emergency Motion, as passed by Dublin City Councillors, January 7th, 2024.

Councillor Ray McAdam.

That the Elected Members of Dublin City Council utterly condemn the senseless vandalism and the anti-social behaviour that has once again wreaked havoc in Fairview Park over the weekend. Communities from within the North Inner City are again questioning whether they can use the park, whether families are safe while there and Inner City sports clubs have been left without playing pitches leaving the our young soccer players unable to play the game they love. The communities I represent in the North Inner City, who are regular users of Fairview Park, want to know what Dublin City Council and An Garda Siochana are doing to better protect Dubliners who use this northside amenity.

Therefore, I am calling on the Chief Executive to:

• Clarify what plans the Parks Department has to improve or enhance Fairview Park between now and 2030.

• Confirm if the Teas Rooms proposals are proceeding.

• Review the effectiveness of the path installed in the park and thereby reduced the availability of playing pitches for North Inner City clubs.

• Work and liaise with clubs like Sheriff YC to identify alternative playing pitches that their young soccer stars can play and utilise while the damaged pitches are repaired and ensure those repairs are carried out within the next month.

• Provide bi-monthly updates to the Central Area Committee on the progress made in respect of each of these matters given that the park is located in the North Central Area.

Separately, the Elected Members of Dublin City Council calls upon the Assistant Garda Commissioner for the Dublin Metropolitan Region to prioritise the initiation and implementation of a cross-Divisional policing plan to counteract the ability of cars to access and enter Fairview Park, tackle the drug dealing occurring within the Park and to utilise new legislation to seize scrambler bikes and those using them to terrorise Dubliners who wish to use Fairview Park individually, with their families or with sporting clubs.

The Elected Members of Dublin City Council are determined to ensure that Fairview Park can be enjoyed by all safely and without the fear currently felt by many of my constituents who use this park.