Sinn Féin spokesperson on Workers’ Rights, Louise O’Reilly TD, and spokesperson on Mental Health, Mark Ward TD, today met with retail workers, and their trade union representatives Mandate, to listen to their concerns regarding their safety working in Dublin City.

Speaking afterwards, Deputy O’Reilly said that the voices of retail workers had been largely absent in recent discussions about keeping Dublin safe, and reaffirmed Sinn Féin’s commitment to addressing workers’ concerns.

Teachta O’Reilly said:

“Sinn Féin believes that the voices of retail workers have been lost in recent discussions regarding keeping Dublin safe.

“We therefore felt it important to meet with workers, and their representatives Mandate, today to hear from them directly. What they tell us is that concerns for their safety, particularly from those working in the city centre, are worse than ever.

“They talk about not just concerns that they have for their own safety but also concerns for their co-workers and customers. They are anxious about travelling to and from work, and opening up in the morning and locking up in the evening.

“There are workers travelling to work in the city centre 24 hours a day, and they deserve to feel safe. They want to see a visible Garda presence around the streets of our city, not just when it is busy but in the morning and late at night when they feel isolated and most vulnerable.

“They also spoke very favourably about Sinn Féin’s proposals for a dedicated transport police as so many of these workers based in the city centre are commuting in from various parts of the city and beyond, using public transport to get there outside of the normal rush-hour traffic. They want to be able to travel to work safely.

“We were very pleased to have the opportunity to talk to retail workers today, particularly as their voices have been largely absent from recent discussions about keeping Dublin safe.

“Sinn Féin stands with those workers, and we are determined that their voices are heard and concerns addressed.

“It should not take increased media interest or assaults on tourists for the government to realise we have a serious issue with crime and public safety on the streets of our capital city.

“Dubliners, those who call this city home, tourists and Gardaí, all deserve to be safe but have all been failed by Fine Gael being in government, and being in charge of the Department of Justice, for 12 years.

“A sticking-plaster approach will not cut it. To tackle crime in Dublin, we need real reform to keep communities safe, as outlined in Sinn Féin’s proposal document, ‘Keeping Communities Safe’.”

Sinn Féin’s ‘Keeping Communities Safe’ document can be read here.