A community in Ballyfermot has been "tortured" by joyriders and vandals over the past week, a Sinn Féin councillor says.
Daithí Doolan says he himself received a "box to the back of the head" while out trying to help locals earlier this week.
The incidents began last Friday night in the Croftwood estates in Cherry Orchard.
Last night is said to have been the first 'quiet night' in almost a week, following a Garda intervention.
Firefighters extinguishing a vehicle fire in Ballyfermot with @gardainfo air and ground units in attendance. We work closely with our partner emergency services at all types of incidents#Dublin #fire pic.twitter.com/fob4StK3Vx
— Dublin Fire Brigade (@DubFireBrigade) January 26, 2022
Councillor Doolan spoke to Newstalk Breakfast about what has been happening.
He said: “Cherry Orchard is a good, strong community - hard-working families trying to improve their quality of life, their neighbours’ and their children's lives.
“Since Friday, there has been a high level of robbed cars rallying around the area, torturing the locals.
"I call it violence because that’s what it is: a very, very small group of people holding a decent community to ransom."
“Last night appears to have been a quiet night, after a Garda intervention the night before. You had Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday nights being very difficult for that community.”
Residents have been “begging and pleading” for an intervention, as they attempted to deal with issues such as burning cars being left on the street.
Councillor Doolan himself went out to the area during the week to stand with locals.
He said: "[Somebody came] out of the crowd - I didn’t see them, and they didn’t have the courage to look me in the eye - and gave me a box in the back of the head.
“It was sore and I was in shock, but thank god it was nothing more serious than that.
"I stood my ground, and I wasn’t leaving the area: these people elected me to represent them and support them, which I do to the best of my ability.”
Local TDs and councillors are due to meet with city council management today, as part of efforts to put in a “short, sharp plan" to deal with the issues.
Councillor Doolan said: “We cannot lose that area - we need to turn it around.”
Gardaí have put extra patrols in place in the area.
They're appealing for information after the recent incidents, which led to the air support unit being drafted in.
