MEETING OF CLONDALKIN AREA COMMITTEE
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
QUESTION NO. 15
QUESTION: Councillor F. Timmons
To ask that the Chief Executive provide a plan for the Balgaddy area of Clondalkin bearing in mind the amount of anti social behaviour and other social issues.
REPLY:
South Dublin County Council work in conjunction with a variety of statutory bodies and services, such as the Ronanstown Youth Service, GRAFT, the Gardai to ensure young people in the Balgaddy area have a wide range of activities on their doorstep to keep them occupied in an effort to divert them from taking part in any sort of anti social behaviour in their community.
Ronanstown Youth Service have a number of groups and drop-ins taking place in the Youth Service Unit in Tór an Rí, space provided by South Dublin County Council.
The Youth Service are currently working with at least one young person that has been involved in a number of anti social activities in the past. They have also created a group formed with the peers of this young person. Youth workers and Garda Diversion staff work one on one with the members and work with the group as a whole to challenge their behaviours.
The Community Worker and Anti Social Officers meet with Youth Service and Garda fortnightly to ensure regular updates and share information to ensure all reports of anti social behaviour are dealt with where possible. The Anti Social Clinic in Ronanstown caters for Balgaddy, a confidential clinic which is advertised throughout Balgaddy.
Community staff and the Sports Office Staff are working with the FAI to deliver training for young people and their parents to hold ‘Show Racism the Red Card’. This training will take place during October Mid Term Break.
South Dublin County Council also fund a free Summer Project in Meile an Rí Family Centre, for a week long programme for young children aged 4 – 12 years. This took place during the period July 14th to 18th , 60 young people registered to attend and it was very successful.
In addition, the Balgaddy Summer Project was part funded by the Council and held in the Bush Centre for a 2 week duration, during the period 30th June to 11th July. This project caters for age 8 plus. 110 young people registered to attend.
Summer Bratz , a number of children registered. The programme was for age 13 plus and again the Council part funded this. The project was aimed at older children in the North Clondalkin area including Balgaddy.
South Dublin County Council also provides Activities such as Kayaking, Horse Riding, Art and Crafts, Nature Projects, Dancing, Golf, Drumming, Gaming, Activity Days and Boxercise.
Up to 190 young people from the Balgaddy area took part in Council funded activities during summer 2014.
