Brothels and drug dealing in Offaly estates, says councillor

BROTHELS are being maintained in some council estates in Offaly, a councillor said on Monday.

Cllr Ken Smollen also said that because of open drug dealing, illegal dumping and other anti-social behaviour, some law abiding families need to be rescued immediately.

Offaly County Council adopted a motion tabled by the Irish Democratic Party member which called on the local authority to strictly enforce the rules and regulations on anti-social behaviour in the social housing tenant handbook.

Cllr Smollen repeated a statement he had made at a previous council meeting where he said some families were “prisoners in their own homes” because of the behaviour of others.

Children aged 10 or younger are being intimidated or threatened “and almost all of those involved are living in social housing”.

He said a young man was seriously injured two weeks ago. “And unfortunately he will never walk again,” Cllr Smollen told the monthly meeting of the council.

He said it was well past time that the rules and regulations as set out in the social housing handbook are strictly enforced “before anyone else is seriously injured or even worse”.

“It's up to all of us to work together and alongside the gardai to stamp out this sort of behaviour.”

The Tullamore Municipal District representative added: “We can no longer stand by relying on meetings and committees to come up with solutions because every day a growing number of families are living in total fear in these housing estates.”

The anti-social behaviour was not confined to Tullamore, he stressed, because he had received calls in relation to similar problems in Edenderry, Ferbane, Kilcormac and other areas.

He had three proposals for action. First, he called for an urgent meeting between council management, councillors and the gardai and “definitive decisions be taken and acted upon”. Second, when social housing is allocated “that at the very least”, public representatives' local knowledge be used before decisions are made and the previous activities and “behaviour of potential tenants be taken into account”.

Thirdly, he called for a letter to be sent to all social housing tenants reminding them of their obligations and to refresh their commitment to the rules and regulations.

The motion was seconded by Cllr Sean O'Brien, an Independent representative from Tullamore, who said the matter had come up at many previous meetings and a working group had been set up “and we are taking very specific action”.

Cllr O'Brien cautioned, however, that the issue was complex and was not just one for the council and the gardai but would involve a lot of agencies and all tenants.

Cllr O'Brien also mentioned the “reluctance” of people to come forward and talk about those involved in transgressions.

Underlying issues causing the problem would have to be examined on a broad scale.

“It's much deeper than simply wagging the finger at people and saying you must keep the law.”

It can be difficult to remove a tenant who is breaking the law, he warned. “There can be other innocent people in the house, children or the other partner. So it's not as simple as removing a whole family from a house.”

Another Tullamore representative, Cllr Declan Harvey, agreed there “is a huge problem” but he said the committee which had been set up should be given a chance to do its work.

The Fianna Fail councillor said he only had so much patience himself and it was annoying to him “that there are some people breaking the law and getting away with it and rubbing it in our face and doing what they like.”

Reacting to those comments, Cllr Smollen said everyone knew his “feelings on evictions” but innocent families must be protected.

“Exclusion orders should be sought against the offenders and I think that Offaly County Council must be seen to take action.”

Cllr Smollen added: “It's so bad right now that in two or three housing estates that some families need to be rescued today. They need rescuing, they're prisoners in their own homes.”

He asked the other councillors how they would feel if their own mother or father were living beside those responsible for this behaviour.

“They are openly dealing drugs. There are basically brothels at the back of some of these premises. We're just ignoring this.”

Sharon Kennedy, housing officer with the council, said 1,900 homes are being leased out by the local authority in Offaly and the vast majority, from tenants to homeowners who had bought out the housing in council estates, took care and pride in their homes and neighbourhoods.

Reading from a prepared statement Ms Kennedy said the small minority of tenants “create difficulties for their own families, for their neighbours and they pose a significant challenge” to the council.

The aim of the anti-social behaviour policy of the council is to prevent and reduce the behaviour and promote and build sustainable communities.

The policy has been reviewed and will be coming before the council in the autumn and its key objectives are improving estate management, engaging and fostering tenant participation, working with other agencies and stakeholders, developing a sense of ownership in estates and pride of place, and allowing all of the tenants to live without conduct that violates basic rights, or behaviour that's disruptive to others, or is illegal.

There are already pre-tenancy information sessions, estate management initiatives, pre-vetting of tenants and ensuring “an acceptable social mix”.

The council will work with other agencies including the Garda Siochana, the HSE, Tusla and Offaly Local Development.

“The policy also provides for a range of actions up to and including the repossession of houses and the securing of excluding orders against individuals.”

The use of CCTV is an option and complaints can be made to an email address asb@offalycoco.ie, said Ms Kennedy.

The council will have internal procedures to ensure that “when and if we go to court we have the evidence required” to meet the statutory standard of evidence.

The council is exploring two tenancy sustainability projects, one for Traveller families and another for vulnerable tenants and their children in partnership with Tusla.

The sub-committee referenced by Cllr O'Brien involves the Tullamore Municipal District, the housing section and other sections in the council, and will identify and implement a range of practical measures on estate management.

“It's hoped that the learnings from this initiative can be rolled out to other estates in the county in due course”.

Specific individuals who are breaching the anti-social behaviour policy will face legal action.

“We've reviewed a number of files on the behaviour of individuals and we've set out with our council advisor a series of actions including and up to seeking repossession orders for houses or securing excluding orders in relation to individuals.”

The council is working in a similar manner with estates run by approved housing bodies.

The local authority will also look at unauthorised dumping, littering and poor waste management practices.

“Our veterinary services are also addressing issues in relation to animal welfare and control, including horses and dogs.”

Furthermore, vacant lands “within and close to estates” will be reviewed to see if they can be used in a more productive manner.

Families and individuals are being supported through sports, arts and libraries “to try and minimise the further development of anti-social behaviour among the younger tenants within our housing estates”.

This involves homework clubs, summer camps, equine projects and fitness camps.

Ms Kennedy said the impact due to the actions of a few have been felt more keenly during the Covid emergency.

Replying to each of the proposals for action sought by Cllr Smollen, Ms Kennedy said a meeting with the gardai would be sought.

In relation to the allocation of social housing, she said the procedure does involve garda vetting.

She said a letter to all tenants as suggested by Cllr Smollen might annoy the vast majority who feel “they are the ones that are actually behaving very well and trying to support us”.

“They may be at the receiving end of the anti-social behaviour occurrences. I think any sort of communication would have to be very well judged in terms of its tone, its content and its applicability to those that might receive it and so I'd have to give that further consideration.”

Council Cathaoirleach John Carroll, who asked councillors at the outset of the debate not to mention names of individuals or estates, said 99.9% of tenants were very good.

“I'm a long time on town councils and we'll always have individuals here and there and if there is an exception here it's being worked at and worked at very diligently,” said Cllr Carroll.

The Birr Independent representative praised Ms Kennedy's report saying it showed the council took its responsibility to tenants very seriously and “implements everything they can to make life bearable for everyone, and a good environment for every tenant”.

The local authority will work with the Joint Policing Committee, he added.

Cllr Smollen agreed that 99.9% of tenants are decent and law abiding. “It only takes one or two families in each place to cause absolute mayhem and havoc and to cause fear for people”.

Anna Marie Delaney, council chief executive, said they liaised very strongly with the gardai.

“We are progressing with enforcement in relation to a number of individuals who breach the terms of the tenancy agreements. That will progress through the legal route.”