KILDARE: Drastic action needed to tackle anti social behaviour

Sanctions must be imposed on people who are engaged in anti social behaviour across County Kildare.

Newbridge Fianna Fail councillor Noel Heavey called for “drastic action for a problem that is getting  worse.”

He said the spread of anti social behaviour is threatening virtually every community.

“Drugs are to blame (including) various forms of cocaine” he said.

He added: “There are so many people who are deeply troubled by this” and said Kildare County Council is accepting “the normalisation of this.”

He said that evictions are very difficult to achieve and “we need other sanctions.”

Cllr Heavey said he was not “having a go” at social housing tenants but those responsible have to “feel pushback from the community.”

“It’s the residents who are suffering, we need something that gives hope.”

A KCC meeting was told that housing applicants are investigated, by way of Garda check, in accordance with the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions Act) 1997 and “applicants involved in anti-social behaviour will not be considered for inclusion on the housing list for a period of one year.”

Councillors were told that where alleged anti-social behaviour occurs in tenanted CC properties, the council complies with the terms of and anti social behaviour strategy, which was adopted by the councillors in 2017.

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It addresses the sale or supply or manufacture  of drugs and behaviour which causes or is likely to cause any significant or persistent danger, injury, damage, alarm, loss or fear.

But the possession of illegal drugs solely for personal use does not come within this definition, nor does vandalism or damage to property unless the damage is serious or used to intimidate or threaten. 

The definition does not include noise and nuisance or other activities not normally associated with the serious problems which the legislation targets . However, these lesser activities could represent breaches of the tenancy agreement and tenants are warned in accordance with the anti social behaviour strategy.

Complaints are investigated but a court order is required to repossess a property and a high burden of proof is necessary.

KCC official Annette Aspell said that approved housing bodies, which increasingly provide social housing, maintain their own estate management policies and these are governed by residential tenancy legislation.

Ms Apsell told the meeting that that it should not be inferred that anti social behaviour is necessarily connected with local authority accommodation and comments made do not relate to all social housing tenants

Cllr Chris Pender complained that a lack of funding for groups tackling drug use related issues has led to a rise in drug abuse..

Cllr Nuala Killeen said anti social behaviour occurs in all kinds of areas and “we shouldn’t diminish the good reputation of people living in local authority homes.”

Cllr Tim Durkan said a small element of society is responsible and the place for any sanction is in a courtroom not at KCC level.

Cllr Suzanne Doyle said a small group of people are responsible and added it is more difficult for KCC to evict a tenant than it is for a private landlord.