AN ENNIS Councillor has hit out at “anti-social criminals” creating havoc in their own homes and neighbourhoods. 

In a motion tabled at the July meeting of the local authority, Councillors Johnny Flynn, Clare Colleran Molloy and Pat Daly, called for a “multi-agency emergency response team” to address the problem. They also sought greater protection for the children living in homes with those engaging in anti-social behaviour.  

Councillor Flynn said that despite the great work of the Council’s tenancy enforcement unit, there are “communities in crisis”.

“This is because of a very small number of  people,” he said, “who are basically criminals and getting away with it. The tenancy team is already answering around 500 calls a month and doing an extraordinary job, but there are people living in terrible situations, locked into mortgages, who cannot move away from these issues.”

Councillor Colleran Molloy pointed out that the tenancy enforcement team is not a permanent one. “We want the tenancy enforcement team to be permanent,” she said. “We must resource it permanently.”

Councillor Daly agreed that members of the enforcement team are doing as much as they can. He gave the example of Corrovorrin Grove in Ennis. “People there are being bullied on a daily basis,” he said.

“There is verbal and physical abuse, loud noise all the time. This is a beautiful area with the finest of people living there. This is very unfair on them. The Council needs to get legal advice on this and a major decision has to be made for the residents.”

Another Ennis-based member, Councillor Mary Howard said there were many parts of the county town affected.

“We need the tenancy enforcement officers and they must be a permanent team,” she said.

“They have been dealing with over 2,000 calls this year. There are threats to homes, cars, to people themselves. I know of one situation where, if somebody gets locked out of the house at 2am or 2pm, they think it’s fine to get in the car and sit on horn until door is opened. There is violence too within the home.”

Newly-appointed Cathaoirleach, Councillor Tony O’Brien asked members to bear in mind that the meeting was one for the entire county and that policies discussed should be applicable to all estates. 

Councillor Gerry Flynn noted that, as Chair of the Social Development committee, which covers Housing, he had pushed for the tenancy enforcement team to be set up. 

“We have now had two years of funding,” he said. “I have full confidence in the system and the team. There are issues. There are neighbours from Hell. This is a big issue and it has to be rooted out.

“Those involved have lots of supports in their armoury and that makes life difficult for Council. It is almost impossible to get an eviction and moving the problem is not fixing it. We need to enhance powers of our team.”

Chief Executive Pat Dowling said he was pleased to hear councillors are happy with the tenancy enforcement team.

“The view would be for it to continue its work,” he said. “This is a key part of how we develop relationships with tenants.”

Responding, Councillor Johnny Flynn said that a very small number of people are “creating havoc”.

“These anti-social criminals, I would call them, are incapable of being handled at the moment,” he said.

“We want to prevent damage to housing and to protect vulnerable children in these households. A very small number are creating emergency situations in their own households and those adjoining them. What we have been doing in the past is not working.”

A written response to the motion, from Director of Service Anne Haugh said: “The framework to address non-compliance with Tenancy Agreements is a judicial process which must be followed to secure an eviction or repossession of a Council property. There is no mechanism under law for a multi-agency team to take on this role.

“The Council work closely with state agencies in dealing with complaints of anti-social behaviour and have a robust process for onward referral of complaints. The Council has a duty to manage and control dwellings let under the Housing Acts, with a view to securing and protecting the interests of tenants and their families in the peaceful occupation of their homes.

“In accordance with our Anti-Social Behaviour Strategy, adopted by the Council last year, Clare County Council is committed to the preservation of the peaceful occupation of all dwellings for which it is responsible and will not tolerate anti-social behaviour.”

The response added that: “Our Tenancy Enforcement team will investigate all complaints of anti-social behaviour in an efficient, fair and impartial manner and will take all appropriate steps, in accordance with best practice as set out in our ASB strategy, to prevent anti-social behaviour.

“Clare County Council will carry out such investigations and inquiries as it considers necessary to establish whether there is substantive evidence to suggest that the respondent is or has engaged in anti-social behaviour.

“Upon investigating any such complaints of alleged anti-social behaviour and having the necessary evidence to support such breach the Council can decide on an appropriate remedy in accordance with the Anti-Social Behaviour Strategy ranging from: advice; verbal warning; tenancy notification; written warning; eviction.”