Birr anti-social behaviour should not be blamed on non-nationals

Local Fine Gael TD Olwyn Enright has urged people not to escalate the recent anti-social behaviour problems in Birr into a witchhunt of certain minorities in the town. She said that people need to remember that gardaí in Birr arrest a lot more Irish minors than they do foreign nationals. 'There are a lot of foreign nationals living in the town who are not causing trouble and this shouldn"t become a race issue. Whether they are Irish or foreign, if a person commits a crime, they need to be punished,' she said. Deputy Enright urged people to report any incident, no matter how trivial, to gardaí. 'There is a fear about it at the moment,' she said. 'There have been people intimidated so it needs to be stopped, but gardaí have said that of the juveniles they"ve arrested, the vast majority of them are not foreign nationals.' A public meeting is being held in Dooly"s Hotel in the town next Monday, June 29, at 8.30pm so that an update can be given on the recent occurrences of anti-social behaviour. This is a follow-on from a meeting on May 18, when people gave accounts of being intimidated verbally or physically in the town. People on their way to mass in the Scurragh area were intimidated during one episode and there have also been incidents on Main Street. The meeting is being organised by Independent Cllr John Carroll who said that things have been 'exceptionally quiet' in the town since the May meeting. 'Gardaí have been out on patrol. People feel free on the streets again,' he said. Sgt John Mahon from Birr Garda Station said there has been very few incidents in the town within the last month. 'There"s been one or two incidents that gardaí have dealt with. The perpetrators were arrested, charged and are due in court,' he said. He said that out of 22 juveniles on garda books within the last six months, only one was a non-national and added that public order incidents were worse in the town five or ten years ago. However, he said that all perpetrators were treated in the same manner. 'Transgress and you will be dealt with, no matter your age, race or creed,' said Sgt Mahon. Deputy Enright added that the newly-formed Joint Policing Committee in the town, consisting of town council and Oireachtas members, local gardaí and community activists, was the 'best forum' to deal with anti-social behaviour. She said that the lack of funding for CCTV in the town was an issue. 'Birr has been pursuing it for years and years but it"s still not being guaranteed and it would certainly help,' she said. However, the politician said she was positive that Birr is safe. 'I think Birr is a very safe place and I"d still walk home by myself at night,' she added.