DEALERS are openly peddling drugs in children’s playgrounds in St Mary’s Park, according to angry locals.
But visiting Limerick this week, Justice Minister, Jim O’Callaghan said people “have a personal responsibility” not to buy drugs and swell the coffers of criminals.
Local people, who wished to remain anonymous, spoke to the Limerick Post about the ongoing drug scourge in the area, and the impact it is having on their community.
“Younger children are really affected by it…it’s become the norm for the local children going to primary and secondary schools to come across this, whether it be drug dealing or drug usage.”
They are now calling for an increased Garda presence in the area to curb the spate of drug dealing and anti-social behaviour.
“Open drug dealing and open use of drugs – it’s not hidden anymore. It used to be in the dark crevices but now you can pretty much see it and smell it, there’s evidence of it everywhere”, one man said.
“Take one walk along the river and you will see drug paraphernalia, people openly dealing in places that were normally leisure parts of the area, and it’s becoming the norm for people here”, he added.
Residents say that while they are hopeful for more Gardaí on the beat, they also noted the length of time it takes for the forces to respond to calls, often waiting up to two hours for Gardaí to arrive.
Limerick has lost five per cent of it’s Garda numbers over the past five years – down from 612 Gardaí stationed across the city and county in 2019, to 582 at the end of 2024.
Minister for Justice, Jim O’Callaghan visited Limerick on Monday (May 26) this week.
“We need to be straight with people about the dangers of experimenting with drugs or taking what I refer to as recreational drugs. There’s nothing recreational about the devastation I see in the lives that have been destroyed through drug use”, he said.
The Minister says said he is working to provide an increased Garda presence in the area, but difficulties in recruiting people to join An Garda Síochana is hindering progress.
While he cites concerns about ‘the prevalence of drugs in Irish society’ he also says people have a personal responsibility not to take drugs.
“We can spend all our time talking about the Gardai, but people have a personal responsibility as well. By buying drugs, people are fueling criminal activity and wreaking the type of damage in our society only apparent from the use of drugs.”
“I’m fully aware of my responsibility to get more Garda resources and they are doing an excellent job, but people also need to face up to their own personal responsibilities. There’s too many people taking drugs and they think there isn’t any consequence.”
Crack cocaine has become the drug of choice for most dealers and users, not just in the St Mary’s Park area but right across Limerick city.
As reported in the Limerick Post, Gardaí hit a local drug gang for €140,000 worth of cocaine in a planned search and recover operation in the city’s historic old quarter.
The drugs were seized during a raid on a property at Englishtown by Gardaí attached to the Divisional Drugs Unit supported by regional Garda units.
A man in his 30s was arrested at the scene and questioned by investigating Gardaí.
The rise of crack cocaine has also become obvious to locals: “You can see the tin foil and the pipes that are made from it. People are openly dealing in areas, tourist areas for example, but it’s very hard to sell that (tourism) when there’s that dark underbelly going on there”, they said.
The group also referred to ‘drug houses’ in St Mary’s Park where there’s “two or three houses openly dealing drugs and for whatever reason they haven’t been shut down and continue to deal drugs 24/7.”
However, behind every drug deal, hit or Garda operation, the group are keen to stress the impact this has had on the ordinary members of the community.
“The vast majority of people here are law-abiding citizens and hard working grafters, they’re just dismayed and a bit disillusioned. People are getting sick of empty promises and that has a knock on effect on morale and community spirit”, they said.
St Mary’s Park is one of four Regeneration areas in Limerick city, alongside Moyross, Southill and Ballinacurra Weston.
However the impact of Regeneration isn’t as widely felt as in other communities, they claim.
“There’s a lot of boarded up houses still there, there’s a lot of empty spots, the places haven’t been repopulated and again I think it’s down to a lack of resources more than anything else.”
“We’ve also seen a significant growth in our schools population but there’s still no wraparound support model, there’s no family resource centre in St Mary’s Park, even though planning has been applied for”, locals explained.
Locals are now urging the Minister for Justice to visit the area to “see what 17 years of regeneration looks like.”
“You need to go down, walk around and see what it’s like to live here, and tell me you wouldn’t be utterly devastated at what you find.”
