Efforts to tackle anti-social behaviour in Mohill being ramped up

Anti-social behaviour in Mohill was an issue raised by at a recent meeting between council housing officials, local councillors Thomas Mulligan, Enda Stenson and Sean McGowan, and the Gardai.

Cllr Thomas Mulligan said that a number of strategies have been developed in order to crack down on the issue.

He said that in recent months damage has been done to cars and property in the area and now the council and Gardaí working together are aiming to target the perpetrators.

“We had a meeting with the Superintendent, staff, a senior executive from the council and the staff of the council office to deal with the ongoing anti-social behaviour.

“We have made progress in that the superintendent gave a commitment that extra visibility would be provided - Garda cars, etc., in the town on a more regular basis.

“I would like to add that people who are going about their business in the normal way needn't be one bit worried about these cars being there as their main purpose is to reduce incidents of anti-social behaviour.”

The council is also ramping up efforts to tackle the issue.

“We are doing two things that we would not have been doing before. The first applies to new applicants for houses in Mohill. We agreed with the executive that the screening process for people will be ramped up considerably, especially when it comes to looking for things like a history of anti-social behaviour at a previous address.

“We will also be looking at people who are residing at addresses where they are not entitled to be living – who have just arrived and taken up residence but are actually not a legal tenant. We have to tighten up on that and find out who they are and why they are there - they may have moved in as a partner for example. If they are involved in anti-social behaviour then they will be dealt with very, very quickly.”

Cllr Mulligan welcomed the actions saying that he believed they will help officials crack down on the behaviour.

“People were asking if we could get at least one new Garda in the town if not two but the reality is that is not going to happen.

“However, to get that commitment on extra visibility with outside Gardai coming in when local Gardai are off duty is very much welcomed. The whole point of this is to counteract anti-social behaviour from a very small group of people.

“The concern is the repetitive nature of these offences and the same people involved again and again and again, often on a nightly basis and that cannot be tolerated in any shape or form,” he said.