Dark streets causing women in Limerick to take detours for their safety

DARK, unlit streets are causing women in the city to take long detours for their own safety.

That’s according to the leader of the women’s caucus, councillor Sarah Kiely, Fine Gael, who was supporting calls for the introduction of new lamps on some streets in Limerick.

Members of council have unanimously agreed to lobby both Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien and Justice Minister Helen McEntee to put in place measures making it easier for the local authority to secure funding to replace street lights, or introduce new units, in quicker order.

“It really is a safety issue. “When I look around this chamber, I'm not sure how many people would alter their route when they need to go somewhere in the dark. We do this every day and every evening because we have to. If you can save 20 minutes by walking down a dark road as a male, you’d do it. But as a female, you wouldn’t dream of doing that,” said councillor Kiely, who chairs the caucus which supports the nine female members of the authority.

“As a woman, you think about these things all the time. You hold your phone in your hand, you hold your keys in your hand. You worry about if something does happen, so you’d adjust your behaviour if there is not good lighting in an area,” she added.

It was councillor Conor Sheehan who authored the motion calling on government to establish a specific fund to repair streetlights and seek to have new ones added in certain areas.

“I’ve been trying for three years to try and get a light installed in a laneway where there is significant anti-social behaviour.

"There are frequently people who are very unwell congregating in that area. They use drugs, the gardai are well aware of it.

The only way I was told it was possible to install a light is if I took it out of my own funding,” he said.

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Labour councillor Sheehan was referring to a pot of funding members are given which they can use to spend on their own projects.

Fianna Fail councillor Kieran O’Hanlon seconded the motion, saying that he actually did dig into his discretionary funding to get a light erected in Garryowen.

It cost €6,000 and took a whole year to have it operational, he said.

Sinn Fein’s councillor Tom Collopy said there is one small estate on the northside with 15 homes.

“Since Christmas, two cars have been stolen there. There were three more attempts to steal cars. All because three lights are down in this particular estate.”

Former mayor Kevin Sheahan, who served in the gardai, suggested councillors seek a recommendation from officers.

He believes by getting this, this will smooth the path to getting new lights installed.