Dublin Sinn Fein Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

M50 wasteland being used by burglars

Published: 19 February, 2009

Sinn Féin's local election candidate for the Sandyford Glencullen Ward Shaun Tracey has called on Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council to urgently close off access to wasteland behind Sandyford Park which has been used in a spate of burglaries recently.

A number of burglaries have taken place in Sandyford Park recently and locals believe the criminals are using the short laneway between the M50 motorway and the back of the houses to gain access.

Mr. Tracey said the laneway should be urgently closed off and the land should be given to the home owners to extend their gardens to the M50 wall as part of a permanent solution to the problem.

Mr. Tracey said, "Over the past number of months four burglaries have taken place on this particular road in Sandyford Park which only has eighteen houses on it. One home has been burgled twice. Locals believe that the burglars are using the wasteland between their homes and the M50 wall to gain access to their back gardens and enter homes through rear windows and back doors.

"I have contacted the council and highlighted this issue but no action has been taken. It is highly important that the council acts fast before more homes are burgled. Access to this wasteland should be urgently closed off. However, in the long term the council must consider handing over this land to the residents in the homes backing onto it so that they can extend their gardens to the motorway wall. This would seem to be the most logical solution.

"A similar problem exists in Ballyogan where the land between the houses and the M50 is being used for illegal dumping and anti-social behaviour. The council was told at the time of the building of the M50 that leaving idle land would cause problems. This issue should not be ignored any longer. The council should take on board the views of the residents affected and take action urgently." ENDS