Drug dealing and use is rampant in Clonmel according to a local TD.
Deputy Mattie McGrath made the claim on Tipp Today here on Tipp FM this morning in the wake of a public meeting in Monroe last night to discuss local fears over increasing crime levels in the area.
The Independent TD says drugs are a major scourge in all strands of life in Clonmel.
Mattie says he can see dealing going on from his office which is just off of Irishtown.
“It’s across the road…..I see at the high wall…a long special horn blows, hand comes up, stuff goes in.
“They’re coming on the busses – ask any bus driver, he’ll tell you. Coming from Dublin, Limerick – going and coming back with their wares.
“It’s bordering epidemic the drug situation. And its not just happening on the streets – its happening in some other establishments, people with suits, business people, everyone across all the rest of society.”
Deputy McGrath said people at last night’s meeting in Monroe spoke of their fear of ongoing harassment and intimidation from gangs.
Local Garda Superintendent Willie Leahy and a number of elected representatives were also in attendance.
Senator Garret Ahearn says Justice Minister Helen McEntee has agreed to meet with a delegation from the community in a bid to find a resolution.
Mattie McGrath spoke of one woman who was renovating a house in the area which was targeted five times in the space of a week.
“A house she was restoring and neighbours overheard them (the thieves) coming out one night from it. They were coming back tomorrow night for items that they had seen. They cleaned out all her tools – about €2,500 worth of tools – apart from the damage to the property.
“Superintendent Leahy wanted to meet those people afterwards and hopefully he wanted to get to the bottom of how come there was no proper follow up.”
