Drug gangs 'have taken over' Limerick housing estate

A dedicated task force is needed to retake control of a Limerick city housing estate, the Dáil has been told. 

Maurice Quinlivan says people in St Mary’s Park  in Limerick city feel that “drugs and drug gangs have taken over” and that they seem to “work with impunity”. File Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

A dedicated task force for a Limerick city estate, similar to ones in Dublin, is needed to take control back from drug gangs, the Dáil has been told.

The call from Limerick Sinn Féin TD Maurice Quinlivan comes as the chair of the Mid-West Drugs Task Force, Mick Lacey, said resources had been “pulled from communities” over the years.

Mr Quinlivan said people in St Mary’s Park – known as Island Field - in Limerick city felt that “drugs and drug gangs have taken over” and that they seemed to “work with impunity”.

As reported in the Irish Examiner yesterday, he said the area was like a “non-stop drugs supermarket” with taxis of drug buyers forming queues in the area.

Addressing drugs strategy minister Frank Feighan, Mr Quinlivan said there was a "specific problem" in St Mary's Park, Limerick.

He said he had raised the issue with him before, and with the justice minister, as well as the Taoiseach and Tánaiste.

“It needs urgent intervention from the Government with additional resources from An Garda Síochána, the Criminal Assets Bureau, Courts Service, Limerick City and County Council and other agencies.” 

He said St Mary’s was a settled housing estate with families working and living there for generations.

"Now it feels as though drugs and drug gangs have taken over and, worse still, seem to operate with impunity."

He said drug dealers ignore planning regulations regularly, building unauthorised structures and walls and that at present a structure was being constructed without planning permission.

“Council officials have told me privately that they are afraid to enforce many of the regulations,” he said. 

"Derelict houses that are due for demolition are used to store drugs. Despite Garda requests, these structures remain in situ as the warehouses of the wicked. "

He said the local drug gangs give two fingers to everybody: “The two fingers from these drugs gangs are not just to me, the local community, An Garda Síochána or Limerick council - they are two fingers to the entire State.

“Unfortunately, drug dealing operates like a 24-hour drive-through. Taxis often form queues while people from all over the region purchase their drugs. It is like a non-stop drugs supermarket.” 

He urged Minister Feighan to “act now” saying there was “not time to lose”.

'Dark days'

He said he did not want Limerick to return to the “dark days” of the mid-2000s when the problem was ignored.

“The residents need assurance that they are not being abandoned. In terms of my question to the Minister of State, we need a specific task force in the area that could be modelled on what has been achieved in areas of Dublin. Will he commit to doing that and to talking to his colleagues?”

There was no reply from the minister.

Mick Lacey, chairman of the Mid-West Drugs Task Force, said drugs use, particularly cocaine, was “rife” and Covid-19 was worsening the problem.

He said communities most affected needed to be targeted by the Government.

“Resources have been pulled from communities. There’s a lack of resources for community development, to support community workers and community support groups.” 

He said: “We need to target problematic communities, put in strong supports and work with communities – combining communities and guards and addiction services and task force – all the statutory and community people working together.”