Leisure centre staff assaults and drinking on the pitch

Antisocial behaviour has got so bad at Portlaoise Leisure Centre, with staff members assaulted by teenage thugs who are drinking alcohol on the pitches, that the council is considering fencing the playground off and locking it up at night.

At the recent meeting of the Portlaoise Municipal District, Cllr Thomasina Connell proposed a motion calling on Laois County Council to take immediate action to carry out essential repairs and renovations at the Portlaoise Leisure Centre playground to restore it so that “our community can utilise this amenity for the purpose it was intended.”

She said she believed there was merit in fencing it and securing it at nighttime. She said there was a huge amount of people in that area and 550 units in Esker Hills, meaning many people use the amenity.

Supporting the motion, Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald said there was antisocial behaviour taking place so the park has to be secured.

“Until we secure the park at nighttime, it’s nearly impossible to police at night. It’s going to cost us more in the long run by not doing it,” she said.

Cllr Dwane Stanley pointed out that some of the issues don’t just happen when the leisure centre closes at night

“The staff have endured unhuman antisocial behaviour, I know of some who have been racially abused. There’s times where they feel like they’re left to deal with these issues on their own, it wouldn’t go on at any other centre,” said Cllr Dwane Stanley.

She went on to say that there have been staff who have been assaulted at the centre. She said they staff are constantly ringing the gardaí and there’s time that the gardaí aren’t able to go down or they don’t turn up.

“There are huge problems down there and fencing it off and closing it up at night is not going to solve the problem,” she said.

“There are young people gathering there drinking and staff have to go out and clear them off the pitches and the staff have been assaulted and abused and left there to deal with it themselves.”

Cllr Dwane Stanley said this was a sad reflection on Laois County Council.

“They have been assaulted in their workplace,” she said.

Chairing the meeting, Cllr John Joe Fennelly agreed that this was a fairly serious matter.

Cllr Noel Tuohy said that the staff get a lot of abuse. He spoke of the castle that used to be in the playground and said there were “lads using it every night”.

“Are you going to put staff on every night?” he asked, going on to say that the leisure centre staff, who he described as fantastic, are not necessarily there to look after the playground.

Cllr Willie Aird remarked that the staff do huge work and it’s only a very small minority of people who cause the trouble.

He said the staff believe the management of the park should come under Laois County Council, as there are hundreds using it daily.

“Times have changed,” said Cllr Aird.

“Thinking you can leave that open at night, it’s an invitation to congregate at night.

“They’ll always find somewhere. I’ve seen horrific scenes on CCTV of what’s happening at night there” he said.

Cllr Aird concluded by saying that the playground was “a champion amenity for Portlaoise”.

It was agreed by the meeting to speak to the council’s acting director of services, Mr Michael Rainey about the issues raised.