Fall in Limerick shootings ‘positive’

A MAJOR drop in shootings in Limerick during the third quarter of this year was yesterday described as a “very positive” sign.

Chief Superintendent David Sheahan, who heads the city’s garda division, said that in the period July to September there was one shooting incident compared to six for the same period in 2009.

He told the Limerick City Joint Policing Committee that the decline was very significant.

During the same period, there were 59 convictions of drugs dealers who were prosecuted for sale or supply, compared to 48 for the same period last year.

Chief Supt Sheahan, however, expressed his concern at the number of road fatalities on Limerick roads which he said resulted in the local garda division now having the second highest road death toll in the country. Donegal is the highest.

He told members of the committee he was intent on maintaining garda numbers on community policing which was crucial to their role in the community.

At present there are 72 gardaí, nine sergeants and two inspectors deployed on community policing.

Some members of the committee voiced their anger at the level of anti-social behaviour emanating from houses being rented through the HSE rent supplement scheme. But they were informed by the HSE’s Eddie Murphy the executive had no power to vet applicants seeking assistance under the scheme regarding any criminal involvement.

Mr Murphy said that the scheme was originally intended as a very short term measure to help people while they were moving on to other housing situations.

But now, he said, some people being assisted under the rent supplement scheme were in houses for up to five years.

Kieran Lehane, director of housing with Limerick City Council said, so far this year, the local authority had repossessed three houses.

A court order was also obtained in relation to a fourth house.

Mr Lehane said they have this year received 210 complaints regarding anti-social behaviour involving council tenants and have issued verbal warnings to 38 tenants and written notices to 25.

Notices to quit, he said, had been served on nine council tenants.

Mr Lehane said the council managed to resolve 95% of the complaints made against tenants but acknowledged the council would like to see issues resolved much faster.