Dublin is safer than other cities in Europe, a Fine Gael Senator has claimed.
Senator Barry Ward noted that Dublin "has problems", but said he "can't think of any capital city in Europe that is as safe" as Ireland's capital.
Speaking on Newstalk during a debate on anti-social behaviour in the capital, Senator Ward said: "If you look at any metric of policing or the level of safety in a large capital city like Dublin, it compares incredibly favourably to any city in Europe.
"I can’t think of any capital city in Europe that is as safe as Dublin is - which is not to say that Dublin doesn’t have problems, it’s not to say there isn’t criminality, it’s not to say that people don’t from time to time feel unsafe and with justification. What we need to do is deal with that but also to put it in context of the fact that on any metric we are still safer than most places."
Senator Ward noted that this "doesn’t mean that crime doesn’t happen, it doesn’t mean that we can’t do better".
"It doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t be striving to improve it and particularly to address the kind of offences here that you’re talking about; anti-social behaviour, assaults, violent disorder - things that make people feel unsafe where they should not feel unsafe which is on our streets and in our towns," he said.
"They should feel safe there, they absolutely should and that’s why it’s important that we do everything we can to ensure the Gardai can deal with those issues, police those areas and I believe that is happening."
Eurostat statistics from 2020 show that recorded crime in Ireland averages 28.3 offences per 100,000 people, lower than the European average of 40.8. However, Ireland's recorded crime rate is higher than 16 other EU countries, including Austria and Denmark.
Last week, a former senior garda told the Irish Mirror that retailers in the capital are being terrorised with threats, intimidation and assaults on a daily basis.
Read more: Man tells of 'horrific' experience of lad threatening to beat him up on Luas
Ex Garda inspector Tony Gallagher has been working with businesses to help tackle the issue since his retirement from the force in June.
He said: “It’s about winning back the city from the minority who are making it very unpleasant.” Mr Gallagher explained how organised beggars, addicts and gangs of youths are running riot in a situation he describes as an “epidemic”.
He has heard about terrifying ordeals and was even confronted himself after witnessing an attempted theft. Mr Gallagher said: “In one incident, a pregnant employee in the workplace was threatened by an allegedly passive beggar.
“She tried to prevent the theft but was told she would kick her unborn baby out of her stomach. When I have been in stores myself, I have already been threatened by people.
“I saw a theft occurring, brought it to the attention of the staff in the shop and the reaction was to threaten me outside by two men with physical violence. I wasn’t worried but there are those that would be.”
Mr Gallagher – who now works as risk, security and event manager with Ashtree Risk Group – believes there needs to be legislation to let gardai tackle aggressive begging, which they have limited means to do so at the moment. And he added: “I think if any of us were to walk down the national promenade of Dublin, you will certainly see people who are subject to substance abuse.
“You will certainly see aggressive begging. And that’s the norm that seems to be passively accepted. But we need to change that to bring some control. I think we need to win our city back.”
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