Gardai patrol Offaly park amid 'rampaging' youths claims

YOUNG people involved in anti-social behaviour in Tullamore Town Park have been identified, senior gardai said on Monday.

Chief Superintendent Tony Lonergan and Superintendent John Lawless were responding to comments from councillors about “gangs” in the town and youths “rampaging” through the park.

Speaking at a meeting of the Offaly Joint Policing Committee, Chief Supt Lonergan said he was aware there had been issues in Lloyd Town Park.

“Youths have been identified and they will be dealt with through the appropriate justice system,” he said.

He stressed that reports from the public to the gardai would be very important. “I know from making an enquiry into it, while people were referencing issues, we didn't have any similar references around calls received to the garda station making those complaints.”

He appealed to people to contact the gardai and assist them if they were aware of any anti-social behaviour issues.

Supt Lawless said “a good few” young people had been identified. “It takes an approach from a good few angles to bring that to a solution and one of the ones that we're progressing big time is trying to bring the parents into this and give responsibility to the parents to engage with us and to help us,” he said.

“I do realise the hassle they're causing but we cannot stop people from walking down the town, we cannot stop people from walking across the park.

“We have put extra patrols in Lloyd Town Park across the summer and we'll continue to do that.”

He said the gardai were working from a “number of different sides" with the youths and the juvenile liaison officer has been working with them as well.

“They have been identified. It'll take a while to work it through all the agencies but we are working on it.”

Cllr Sean O'Brien had told the meeting that in many communities “gangs of young people” were harassing people going into shops and on the streets.

“People are afraid of them and they're very young, which is an issue,” said the Independent Tullamore councillor.

Cllr O'Brien hoped something could be done but said the behaviour had increased and referred to the matter as one concerning community and family.

“It goes into many corners but it certainly is something that is unsavoury to say the least, the rise of it.”

Another Independent councillor representing the Tullamore area, Cllr Sandy Feehan Smollen, referred specifically to the Town Park.

“This has been coming up to me a few times over the last couple of weeks, people afraid to actually be in the park, harassment, people, elderly people afraid to use the park. It would point to what Cllr O'Brien is saying about the gangs of youth hanging about in the park,” said Cllr Feehan Smollen.

She asked if the behaviour had been brought to the attention of the gardai and if there was a plan in place to “deal with these young people who are rampaging through the park at certain times of the day and evening”.

“It really is very important because the park is a huge part of the town and people are very happy to be in there, especially the playground section. But people are afraid, from what I've been hearing.”