DONABATE/PORTRANE
NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH NEWSLETTER
SEPTEMBER 2006

Contact Number 087 2882130
The Neighbourhood Watch contact number is provided as a community-led adjunct to county policing. In the first instance, please telephone Swords Gardai on 01 6664700 or dial 999.
All incidents reported to Neighbourhood Watch are recorded. The nature of these incidents is presented at the monthly meeting of the Swords regional area.
Reporting of such “low-level” incidents can often ensure a more efficient future garda response. This is especially true for any repeated acts of vandalism and anti-social behaviour. The garda are forewarned of the precise location and can respond much more quickly. In recent times one location for such anti-social behaviour is the derelict site behind St Jude’s in the village centre.

St Jude’s
Saturday evening, 9th Sept, boundary fencing and boarding was systemically destroyed. The development company was present Sunday morning cleaning up the site. Site clearance began Monday.

House Alarms
Recurring, non-monitored alarms can be a frustration. Perhaps contact details can be left with a neighbour. If away for an extended period of time leave more appropriate details with a trusted friend or relative.

Graffiti
Outbreaks of graffiti in different estates in Donabate/Portrane have recently been reported. Immediately contact FCC’s environment (graffiti) division 01 8906272. Describe as clearly as possible the location of the graffiti and the council official should be able to ascertain who has responsibility for clean up. Generally, a private wall is the responsibility of the householder. The council will be able to provide advice on clean up.

Safety Concerns
Although the evenings are drawing in, children are still playing outside in our estates until quite late. Restrictive speed limits apply to all estates.
For the sake of our children, please be mindful of the speed limit and drive carefully through our estates.

Tree Damage
Immediately report any damage to border or verge trees to FCC’s Parks Division 01 890 5600, giving the exact location of the damaged trees. Generally, the Turvey depot responds efficiently.

Fingal Policing Forum/CCTV
NHW has secured a position on the executive of this newly established community forum, the first meeting of which is on 22nd Sept. In light of recent incidents at Donabate Beach, the Railway Station and the Village Centre, a concerted effort will be made for the installation of static CCTV. A letter re CCTV has been sent to S Turnbull, FCC.

Meeting with Insp Melvin
J Keogh (NHW) and R Harold (Fairways RA) met with Insp Melvin at Swords Garda Station 2nd August. Whilst sympathetic, Ins Melvin indicated that the current level of crime experienced by the peninsula does not justify a permanent police presence. Similarly, resources are limited and staffing levels are restricted by the size of the present Garda station. A new garda station is proposed but the timeframe is not known.

Kindly sponsored by
GC Auto Services Ltd
Service and repairs to all vehicles
Unit 15 Turvey Business Centre
Greg Carr 087 273 5219


Here is information on the new Fingal Policing Board. Given our lack of a Police station for the foreseable future, it's vital that Donabate & Portrane have a seat on this Forum.

Here are the latest crime statistics. Whilst they appear to be going down, vigilance is required to keep them going down.

Why not exchange views in the Chat Room

Fairways Residents Association have kindly paid for the graffiti to be removed from the wall overlooking the green space area. This is the second time this year that they have done this and well done to Robbie Harold and the commitee members for doing this.

July 2006
Fairways Residents,

The recent Graffiti Attack has shown that, as residents, we need to be more vigilant about undesirables loitering around our Green Space and the St. Judes Derelict Site.

I appeal to you to call the Swords Garda at 6664700 if you see OR hear any anti-Social Activity in and around the Green Space and the St. Judes Derelict Site. Please Call the Garda at 6664700 and report “Anti-Social Activity in the Fairways Green Space and St. Judes Derelict Site”. If we allow these people to hijack our Green Space area, it will become a center for Anti-Social Activity for others from all over the area.
This may jeopardize the safety of your children.

Please enter this number into your mobile phone: Garda Swords 01-6664700

If you are uncomfortable calling the Garda for any reason then please report any Anti-Social Activity in this area to the Donabate Neighborhood Crimeline at 087-2882130. This number is manned by Donabate Neighborhood Watch Personnel

You can print off an Incident Report Form if you want to further help the garda in their investigations of crime.

There is now a new hotline available. If there are any incidents that you feel need to be reported but are not comfortable calling into the local Garda Station, then call
087-2882130. this number is manned by Neighbourhood Watch volunteers.

MAY 2006
Donabate/Portrane Neighbourhood Watch Newsletter

Underage Drinking
This has been a problem in particular areas in Donabate/Portrane for a few years. The drinking can be very localised and often it is the effects of this drinking that gives cause for concern. Personal intimidation, litter, broken glass, destruction and defacement of property can, and often do, result. A particular area mentioned at the meeting was behind “St Jude’s”, the derelict property opposite the Donabate Town Centre. Concerns re health and safety, public liability and securing the boundary of the property were raised. It is hoped that the owner of the property can be contacted and some of these concerns addressed.
The most recent incident occurred at this area on Friday evening May 5th, when a 20 strong group of juveniles engaged in an irresponsible manner whilst taking alcohol. Gardai were in attendance at 1000 and again at 1130. Nearby families felt particularly threatened.
The underage drinking itself was discussed. Residents questioned the supply of alcohol; often the alcohol is bought legally and then passed on. Certainly, if the source of supply cannot be completely eliminated, regular patrols by the gardai –a visible gardai presence - would be a great help. Our responsibility as parents was also discussed.
Letters have been sent to the retailers of alcohol in the area, asking them to be mindful of their responsibilities to the community.


Safety Concerns
Residents raised some issues in relation to car parking at various places in the Village. Parking in these areas can lead to dangerous situations. Parking on the footpath outside the Village Post Office can lead to a dangerous obstruction of traffic, especially for vehicles entering the village over the railway bridge. Similarly, vehicles parked on the footpath down from the Post Office can seriously obstruct the vision of cars exiting the Railway Station carpark. Parking on the corners at the entrance to Fairways/Donabate Village can also be dangerous for other drivers. It was suggested that a traffic warden be occasionally posted to these areas.
The provision of a footpath on Turvey Ave has long been a concern, Lack of same can compromise the safety of students alighting the afternoon bus.


Contact Number
Neighbourhood Watch is a community attempt to aid normal policing in trying to make our villages safer. Please phone the Neighbourhood Watch if any incident is of concern to you. The mobile telephone number is 087 2882130 and a different co-ordinator will have the number for a set period of time. The incident will be recorded and duly reported to the Gardai. Reporting of such “low-level” incidents can often help the gardai in any future response.
If the incident is serious enough telephone Swords Gardai on 01 6664700 or dial 999.

One procedure for reporting an incident is to describe the incident carefully, providing a name, address and contact number. It is also important for the resident to ask for the full name of the garda answering the call, to note the time of the call, to ask that the call be recorded and for a follow up to be made. The gard taking the call should be able to inform you when the gardai will be in attendance.

February 2006
A big Thanks to the forty plus people who turned out for the meeting on Tuesday evening last.

A lot of concern was expressed to Garda O'Rourke about the drinking den in St Judes in the centre of the village and about the vandalism caused by drunks at weekends.

There was also concern expressed about illegal/dangerous parking in and around the village.

Garda O'Rourke will take these concerns to the relevant people over the next few weeks and we will have another progress meeting in about 4 weeks time to get feed-back and updates.

Neighbourhood Watch will endeavour to inform you all about these matters through the website and a newsletter to homes.

There are other tactics that were discussed and will be implemented as soon as possible and residents will be informed as soon as it is set up.

John Keogh,
Chair NW

October 2005
Many thanks to all who participated in the two meetings held so far. We now have Neighbourhood Watch set up in Fairways,The Links, Donabate Village, The Spires, the Strand and the Corballis area. There a re many now who are involved and we hope to add to it over the summer.
We will be organizing Portrane, The Burrow, Beaverstown and the Turvey avenue area over the coming months.
Please e-mail John Keogh for any information you require.

John Keogh
Donabate Neighbourhood Watch.


22 July 2005
Many thanks to all who attended the meeting in The Brook on Wednesday 20th July. Now that the Watch is established in Portrane, anyone looking for information may contact me at john@desksandchairs.ie or 087-9569024
John Keogh, Donabate Neighbourhood Watch.


November 2004
Campaign to tackle Anti-Social Behaviour

Late in 2004, the parish council embarked on a partnership with local business people and the Gardai to tackle the dreadful spate of anti-social behaviour by a small but growing group of teenagers and children in a series of locations between Donabate Town Centre and the National School via Fairways and the Links. Drinking and vandalism, harassment of local families and assault, often including fireworks, have been reported to Gardai. The campaign is in its early stages, and will continue through 2005 to include;
• Working with the planning and parks dept at FCC to block off areas where these individuals can flee on the arrival of the Gardai.
• Removal of derelict sites, and improving planning applications to eliminate drinking dens.
• Encouraging the Garda to use their new powers to warn and then prosecute persistent offenders, and ensure that community Garda inform the parents of these youngsters what is going on.
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