COUNCIL WORKERS ARE receiving garda protection as they carry out works in some parts of Dublin’s north inner city due to a number incidents of threatening and abusive behaviour.

In recent weeks, Dublin council workers have been protected by officers as they built a plinth wall in the area. Garda assistance was sought by the council to make sure the construction work went smoothly.

Staff have received physical threats against them in recent months.

Locals are not satisfied that gardaí are on hand to protect workers but have not dealt with the ever-present drug problem in the vicinity.

One local told TheJournal.ie that garda cars can be seen from 6am around the area, either protecting workers or monitoring what the local described as “free-for-all drug dealing”.

Drug dealing has always been a problem in the area, but one woman who contacted TheJournal.ie detailed how the level of dealing has escalated to such an extent that she won’t let her children out the front door due to her fear they could become involved in criminality.

Speaking under condition of anonymity, the woman said: “I’ve seen too many go along and become dealers.”

She said that Sheriff Street has great people living there and that it is the actions of a handful of people who are giving the area a bad name.

She added: “They start at half six in the morning while the street cleaners are going by. There are people hanging around already at the time looking for crack. It’s just everywhere now.”

Sheriff Street and its surroundings have borne the brunt of a lot of criminal activity in the past 20 years.

It was where innocent Martin O’Rourke was shot dead in a case of mistaken identity during the Hutch/Kinahan feud. Guns and drugs have been seized on numerous occasions in the last two years.

One local dealer gardaí are monitoring has been accused of involvement in the Kinahan/Hutch feud. He has at least 40 convictions including one for possession of a firearm.

Security sources told TheJournal.ie that he is openly dealing around the Sheriff Street and Spencer Dock areas of the capital.

Dublin City Council confirmed that council workers received protection from gardaí recently.

A spokeswoman said: “I have been advised to tell you that Dublin City Council were erecting a plinth wall and gates at this location.

“The plinth wall was shuttered and erected with a concrete pour and the assistance of the Gardaí was sought to ensure the concrete wall had time to set correctly.”