A former mayor of Galway has claimed residents of some city housing estates are ‘living in fear of being caught in the crossfire’ of an ongoing feud.

Councillor Frank Fahy (FG) said he received representations from people who are afraid of becoming innocent victims of the feud that spilled onto the city’s streets last month.

Cllr Fahy said many of the incidents had been recorded on social media and had gone viral. They made national and international headlines, he said, and “that’s not how I want my city portrayed”.

“People are living in fear of getting caught in the crossfire of this feud,” he said at the latest City Council meeting.

He said the Criminal Assets Bureau, Department of Social Protection and Gardaí needed to work together to “sort this out”.

Cllr Fahy said he was “terribly disappointed” that Garda Chief Superintendent Gerard Roche had declined a request from councillors to meet with them collectively to explain the response.

At the September meeting, a motion was passed unanimously where it was agreed that a special meeting of Galway City Council would be convened before September 21, where the Chief Supt would be invited to attend to explain proposals to deal with the recent anti-social behaviour.

At a meeting last weeky, Interim Chief Executive of Galway City Council, Patricia Philbin, said a meeting with Council management, Mayor of Galway Eddie Hoare and Chief Supt Roche had taken place.

She said that at that meeting, Chief Supt Roche said he would meet with any city councillor to discuss any issues of concern they had – he had even given out a number for them to contact him.

But Cllr Fahy said it would be far more efficient to meet the 18 councillors collectively, rather than individually, which was why a special meeting was arranged.

He said he had tried several times to contact Chief Supt Roche including phoning the Garda Regional Headquarters in Murrough but it rang out.

Cllr Peter Keane (FF) sought clarity on whether the Chief Supt had written to the Council confirming he would not attend a special meeting.

Ms Philbin said there was a statement issued after the meeting with Gardaí the City Council and the Mayor which confirmed he would not be attending a special City Council meeting.

Nearly 20 people have been arrested arising from incidents and are currently before the courts.
The issue is likely to be raised at today’s Galway City Joint Policing Committee meeting.