'The community is really angry': Extra gardaí in Cork City pushing drug addicts out to suburbs, locals claim

Residents of Turner's Cross 'have seen people using drugs, including injecting. The needles will be left in the ground, which is dangerous for children and dogs.' Picture: Getty

Additional gardaí in Cork city centre have pushed drug users out into the suburbs, it has been claimed.

Last November, 23 gardaí were assigned to the city’s new high-visibility policing plan, and businesses in the city centre have since commented the streets feel a lot safer.

Chair of Turners Cross Community Association and youth support worker, Joe Curtin, said: “When the extra Garda patrols started in the city centre, this issue moved to the suburbs.” 

He said he had seen an increase in people with addiction in the area.

“I’ve spoken to members of the community who have seen people using drugs, including injecting. The needles will be left in the ground, which is dangerous for children and dogs.

"The community is really angry about it," Mr Curtin said.

He said community anger could get to a point where "where someone takes things into their own hands", which must be avoided.

“It shouldn’t be just seen as a crime thing, it should be dealt with from a holistic, health point of view, because these people need support.

“I think an increase in prevention work is needed. I work as a youth worker, and I’ve seen an increase in young people vaping cannabis.” 

Cork Social Democrat TD Pádraig Rice said there had been increased public drug use in Ballyphehane and Turner’s Cross, and needles have been found at bus stops, in playgrounds and outside schools.

Everyone deserves to feel safe in their communities and this is currently not the case for too many people.

He said gardaí were now increasing patrols, and the HSE needle exchange is now collecting discarded needles.

“While this is welcome, the reality is that this activity will simply be pushed around our city until a proper solution is found and further supports and services are provided.” 

Mr Rice said a supervised drug injection facility in the city centre was a solution. The Dublin facility, which opened in December 2024, is nearly finished its 18-month pilot project, at which point the Government will assess if a similar one should be opened in Cork.

He raised the issue in the Dáil this week with Taoiseach Micheál Martin, who said: “There is an issue here, of that there is no doubt.

“I have been in touch with the gardaí on the specifics of the areas the deputy has identified because there is a lot of concern and anxiety among residents,” but denied that the problem was due to Government policy.