The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Eibhlin Byrne today called on communities to break the code of silence that protects drug criminals in Dublin communities and said people need to become nosey neighbours again.  The Lord Mayor highlighted in particular the plight of young children being lured into couriering drugs and said that people must start reporting drug crimes to the Gardai.  The Lord Mayor was contributing to a seminar on “How the EU Action Plan for Drugs 2009-2012 can benefit the people of Dublin” organised by Eoin Ryan, MEP.  

“Drug dealers who hide behind children are cowards and should be reported to the authorities,” said Lord Mayor Eibhlin Byrne.  “In some Dublin estates children as young as ten years of age are being lured into acting as drug couriers and the packages these children carry are as lethal to communities, and not least to the children themselves, as any bomb,” the Lord Mayor said.  

“The lure of a €50 note can be enough to encourage a vulnerable child away from playing in the park and into a world of violence and death from which there is little escape.”   

“Mothers around this city pay off credit union loans to protect families where deals get lost or go wrong. It is time for all of us to once again become nosey neighbours and keep an eye out and report drugs criminals,” she said. 

“We can each give a voice to those who live in fear but we must unite to do it. I am calling on people to contact the Gardai and to use resources such as the new “Dial to stop drugs” initiative to report on drug criminals and together help to clear our streets and estates of drugs,” said Lord Mayor Byrne. 

ENDS.