Councillors demand cohesive plan for troubled Dublin estate

Councillors are demanding urgent action from Dublin City Council to engage with a Cabra neighbourhood, warning that €100,000 in investment has been lost to persistent anti-social behaviour and vandalism

News Stephen Holland Local Democracy Reporter 16:07, 24 Jul 2026 Updated 16:08, 24 Jul 2026 View Image Dunard Avenue, Cabra (Image: Google Maps)

Around €100,000 of investment into a Cabra neighbourhood has been “undone” by vandals and anti-social behaviour with one councillor stating it’s time for Dublin City Council to “step up to the plate”.

A joint motion submitted by Independent Cllr Cieren Perry and Sinn Féin Cllr Séamas McGrattan called for proper engagement with the residents of Dunard around the upgrading of their green . Highlighting the need for a “real amenity” for the local community, the councillors state that the prevalence of anti-social behaviour and illegal scrambler use should not mean they are left behind.

Cllr Perry spoke at the Central Area Committee meeting on Tuesday about the long-standing issues around Dunard and that the council should be “bending over backwards” to “placate the residents of Dunard”. He said that parental responsibility plays a big role in tackling anti-social behaviour among youths , but that DCC "certainly hasn’t helped” as a cohesive plan for the area is seriously required.

Doing up the park could actually help stop anti-social behaviour according to Cllr McGrattan who said they should look beyond the Parks Improvement Programme to implement something now more than the “small bits of work” they have done the years which “haven’t made a difference”.

“There’s a new residents committee there and if we engage with them and even engage with young people there we can try and put something meaningful into the park to stop the anti-social behaviour and provide an amenity the whole community can use,” he said.

Speaking with Dublin Live, Cllr Perry said around €100,000 in discretionary funding has been put into improving the area. He said “the council has been supportive to some degree” but the result was trees and fencing burnt out by vandals .

“It's a public space and they have some responsibility for the issues. Then the Garda obviously have a huge role to play in tackling the issue,” Cllr Perry said.

With negative behaviour being carried out by just a “small minority” of people in Dunard and Cabra, Cllr Perry called on DCC and central government to provide further resources, not just for amenities but to address the core issue .

“Whether that’s youth diversion, more sources for youth, the legal system. We cannot allow what’s happened in Dunard and elsewhere in the area to continue.”

Scramblers, e-bikes, e-scooters are a major contributor to residents' concerns, and Cllr Perry believes “it shouldn't have taken poor Grace to be killed in Finglas for a law to be enacted ”. Real investment is what’s needed Cllr Perry said, stating he’s calling for “heartfelt engagement” between the council and residents’ committees.

“Not just passing it off to Parks, who may not have the budget or the manpower to progress it. I want to see the council stepping up to the plate,” he said.

The motion saw widespread support in the council chamber, with Social Democrats Cllr Cat O’Driscoll commending the residents for being so proactive with proposing ideas for their area and the best ways of investing in it. She said conversations around budget allocations for next year are already happening and asked that the council allocate funding that aligns with residents' proposals.

“Efforts in the past eroded very quickly with the illegal use of scramblers and there’s young children in the area who deserve a green space,” she said.

Fine Gael Cllr Gayle Ralph said the anti-social behaviour has been ongoing in the area for years and that it is essential they collaborate with the residents groups who putting real work into bettering their area. “An overall plan needs to come together. It needs to be dealt with as a matter of urgency - people are living in dangerous situation and kids are in danger,” she said.

The amount of anti-social behaviour in Dunard and surrounding area is immense according to Sinn Féin Janice Boylan who said youths on bikes are causing “havoc” for well-meaning residents. “We need to be doing more as an organisation, we need to be representing the people who want to have a good life and the children who want to be able to play safely,” she said.

The manager's response within Dublin City Council stated that the parks service have made several improvements to the green space including “the installation of a new perimeter path and additional tree, wildflower, and bulb planting in recent years”. They stated that, "unfortunately, the area has continued to experience anti-social behaviour resulting in the damage to smoke of these enhancements”.

“Parks Services will engage with the stakeholders to assess what further improvements could be delivered through our Parks Improvement Programme in 2027.”

This content is funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme

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