For further information please contact Cllr. Cionnaith Ó Súilleabháin 086-2202029
PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETING ON CLONAKILTY J.P.C.
With Clonakilty Town Council due to establish a Joint Policing Committee shortly, one of the councillors has organised a public information meeting on the topic for this Wednesday evening, 14th October. The meeting will be held at 8.30pm at O' Donovan's Hotel, Clonakilty.
Sinn Féin's Cllr. Cionnaith Ó Súilleabháin said that many local residents and businesspeople have been frustrated for years by lack of action on anti-social activities, vandalism, public disorder, public drinking, boy racers, drug dealing and other issues. Three years ago, he organised a number of public meetings on the topic which were attended by up to 150 locals, many of whom are directly affected by what he calls "Anti Community activities by a small minority of both outsiders and locals". This is dragging down the good name of the town, with visitors frequently witnessing these activities, and residents completely fed up with the same activities happening in the same places and the same times every week. Hardly a weekend goes by now that there aren't fights on the streets, cars damaged and shops windows broken.
Cllr. Ó Súilleabháin said: "There is a Council Public Order Committee established for nearly five years. However, it rarely meets, is very informal and is totally ineffective and unaccountable. From my experience of it, it's a talking shop! Clonakilty is one of the finest places in Ireland to live and visit, but we have an ugly side that many people do not wish to acknowledge or talk about. At weekends particularly, life for many town centre residents and those living near amenity parks and car parks, and certain rented properties can be terrible. These issues must be confronted seriously by everyone to take the town back from the gurrier element who have no respect for public or private property, residents or tourists. I have been pushing for the establishment of the Joint Policing Committee since August 2008, and at last it looks it may actually be formed over the coming month or so.
This committee will be made up of Councillors, Garda reps and three community representatives whose job will be to work together to identify issues of concern and proactively come up with plans and actions to resolve them. The good thing about the JPC is that is has legal standing, it must have regular open meetings with minutes and agendas. In short, there will be accountability. It has the potential to transform a lot of the problems we have it everyone enters into it in the spirit of making the town better for everyone."
Cllr. Ó Súilleabháin has arranged the public information meeting because the council failed to do so, despite he requesting it at the September meeting. This Friday 16th is the closing date for nominations from the community sector. "I am arranging the meeting to explain the potential benefits of the JPC and also to urge locals to get involved in the process. To work effectively, we will need vocal, honest people who won't be afraid to speak the truth even when it's unpalatable, as that's the only way to rid the town of the negative things that many talk about but appear to be tolerated by the authorities".
The meeting is at 8.30pm in O' Donovan's Hotel on Wednesday 14th October.
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