Submission on Local Policing

Contributions on local and national policing

Dear Mr Ward,

I am writing to you in relation to your notice to submit contributions on local and national policing.

I am the parent of a six year old white cane user and I have some contributions to make on how the Gardai can help improve access to the street for people such as my daughter.

1. Full parking enforcement: it is our family’s experience that DSPS does not respond to calls for clampers in a large section of Dublin 7, certainly in Cabra. Even after reports by phone where parked cars are dangerous and pushing children into oncoming traffic they have not been removed at all. (In one case a car parked fully blocking a footpath outside a school remained there for 3 days despite being reported twice.) The parking enforcement email to Gardai is also time consuming and often ineffective. It is also difficult to see that any action has been taken as no visible tickets are attached to cars now. This is unfortunate as visible ticketing has an impact on the behaviour of other drivers.
2. Waste disposal review: Tuesdays are an incredibly difficult day to be in Dublin suburban streets as bins are pulled across the path and left for hours throughout the day. It would be very helpful if the waste contractors could inform both their staff and the general public of the best practice in placing these huge bins in the kerbside. It should also be considered that some streets are not suitable for such large bins and will fully blocking footpaths. The Gardai could have an impact here in holding waste companies to account when bins are irresponsibly positioned.
3. Integrated accessibility: the quality of the city is really impacted by small things such as thoughtless placement of sandwich boards or outdoor seating. It would be helpful if some local Gardai were more permanently out in the community and could address these issues on the street as they arise, calling into local business or to households where action was required. The optimum would be to have a staff member in each local district whose primary role was engaging with these matters.

Summary

• Bring back visible ticketing on cars breaking the law
• Reduce the reliance on DSPS for traffic enforcement and encourage the local authorities to reinstate traffic wardens as regular staff
• Take action against waste companies who act irresponsibly and require waste companies to inform the public of best practice
• Nominate a Garda staff member whose sole role would be an integrated approach to public accessibility and the civic realm
• Stop relying on public reporting to deal with traffic and dangerous situations. Visible and constant regulation through staff being on the street would be far more effective.

Thank you for your time.

Kind regards,

Neasa Hourigan.