Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Calls for Eircom to remove phone boxes being used by drug users and damaging nearby businesses

Eircom says some of the phones are being used by people to contact homeless services.

PHONE BOXES AROUND Dublin city centre are a ‘huge attraction for anti-social behaviour’ and are causing problems for nearby businesses.

That’s according to Sinn Féin Councillor Noeleen Reilly who is calling on Eircom to remove any defunct telephone boxes.

“A number of Eircom phone boxes are no longer in use around the city. They are a huge attraction for anti-social elements.

“One particular one comes to mind on Liffey Street beside Arnotts, which is regularly used by drug users.

This does obviously not encourage people to use any of the businesses beside them as people congregate around them.

Eircom said it is “very aware of the problem of anti-social behaviour and vandalism of payphones”.

Addressing the situation on Liffey Street, a spokesperson for the telecommunications company said, “I can confirm that there is currently one double pedestal in position but there were three before Christmas”.

The spokesperson added that Eircom is currently in discussion with Dublin City Council regarding such payphones but that many of them are used for free-call access to social service, including homeless services, so this needs to be considered.

Last month there were on average 24 calls per payphone in Dublin 1 and 2.

However, it did add that where there is “an absence of reasonable need” the payphone may be removed.

There are currently 133 payphones situated in 55 kiosks and 16 pedestals in Dublin 1 and 2.

Eircom says nine double kiosks are scheduled for recovery which will leave 46 kiosks/115 payphones.

At the start of 2006 there were 846 payphones in Dublin county, there are now 353.

Read: Homeless charity forced to shut down its Sunday free meals service>

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
36 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Castalla Villas
    Favourite Castalla Villas
    Report
    Jun 2nd 2015, 6:40 AM

    Why not get rid of the drug addicted zombies

    212
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Marc O'Cuileannain
    Favourite Marc O'Cuileannain
    Report
    Jun 2nd 2015, 4:37 PM

    Exterminating people who are most likely trying to escape psychological trauma. Very strange how more people aren’t up for that, alright. They must be on drugs themselves sure.

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Fahey
    Favourite John Fahey
    Report
    Jun 2nd 2015, 6:45 AM

    While I can see where people are coming from, and I wouldn’t argue against their removal, it does feel like people are treating the symptom rather than the disease here.

    It simply moves the problem to a different area and overall, nothing improves.

    Not sure what else can be done to reduce drug use in Dublin City Centre, but simply moving it elsewhere looks great for the local politician, but isn’t a long term plan.

    140
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute neildarkmind
    Favourite neildarkmind
    Report
    Jun 2nd 2015, 6:57 AM

    Wait till about 10 junkies squeezes into them and quickly then remove them and put the whole lot in to a car crushing machine

    105
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Stephen Duggan
    Favourite Stephen Duggan
    Report
    Jun 2nd 2015, 6:10 AM

    I doubt the “noughties, generation even know how to use them ? I agree with the removal of them, eyesores around the city is all they’ve become. They must cost more to maintain than they take in.

    105
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ladude
    Favourite Ladude
    Report
    Jun 2nd 2015, 6:24 AM

    Phone boxes don’t have feelings, but drug addicts do, maybe their eyes are sore? Can we sort them out first then think of the phone boxes?

    37
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mossy Phelan
    Favourite Mossy Phelan
    Report
    Jun 2nd 2015, 7:24 AM

    If Eircoms argument is that they are being used to contact homeless services, why don’t they remove the weatherproof kiosks and replace them with the standalone type phones that are not encapsulated. See how many dirty junkies use them then. Does Anyone know if Eircom receive any kind of subsidy from the government to provide pay phones throughout the country?

    86
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Walsh
    Favourite John Walsh
    Report
    Jun 2nd 2015, 7:16 AM

    Why not provide centres where addicts can use in safety for the publics sake and themselves? They are never going away.

    84
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Deco James Connolly
    Favourite Deco James Connolly
    Report
    Jun 2nd 2015, 8:18 AM

    And they will always go there to use because junkies are extra responsible ?

    21
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Michael
    Favourite Michael
    Report
    Jun 2nd 2015, 8:27 AM

    So sick of entire swathes of the City effectively being off limits to law aiding citizens because of these zombies. From now on the solution has got to take into account the fact that while these people may suffer from the illness of addiction, it is an ailment of their own creation and it means they have ceased to become useful members of society. I am tired of the bleeding heart brigade’s “softly softly” approach. There are now huge parts of the inner city that are completely unsafe to walk through, day or night. It is unacceptable.

    81
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Gus Sheridan
    Favourite Gus Sheridan
    Report
    Jun 2nd 2015, 8:46 AM

    Agreed Michael

    21
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Thomas Brunkard
    Favourite Thomas Brunkard
    Report
    Jun 2nd 2015, 8:07 AM

    This is the wrong approach.

    There are too many of public spaces in Dublin that are closed to the public due to drug addicts and peripatetic alcoholics.

    Off the top of my head:

    Croppy Acre
    Bully’s Acre
    Millenium Park
    Goldenbridge Cemetery

    The city centre is being choked by a concentration of treatment centres and hostels. We don’t need to withdraw every service or amenity available to the rest of us.

    We need to stop treating the inner city as a dumping ground and start tackling these people’s problems more creatively.

    70
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Deco James Connolly
    Favourite Deco James Connolly
    Report
    Jun 2nd 2015, 8:21 AM

    Like sectioning them until they submit to treatment , no one in their right mind injects a poison into themselves, softly softly does not work hence the junkie problem .

    30
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute david
    Favourite david
    Report
    Jun 2nd 2015, 1:38 PM

    There’s nothing soft about criminalising people for what is a medical problem. You are correct that this has been unsuccessful.

    1
    See 1 more reply ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Thomas Brunkard
    Favourite Thomas Brunkard
    Report
    Jun 2nd 2015, 1:51 PM

    Deco’s idea is a draconian but on a point of fact to section someone is not criminalising them. It would be certifying them mentally incapable of making decisions for themselves. A bit like making them a ward of the court or something.

    The current problem of treatment and pathways to rehabilitation is still unsolved. In any case the current process seems to be to build some sort of halfway house in Dublin 8/Dublin 7 and have them wander around the city centre all day. That’s not really working for the rest of us that live there.

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tom Fennelly
    Favourite Tom Fennelly
    Report
    Jun 2nd 2015, 9:16 AM

    My company had phone boxes in the city, Grafton St, Henry St, O’Connell St beside the Spire and down from O’Brien Monument and other locations. I removed every one of them five years ago. There was no need for them then and there is no need for them now. Part of the license agreement with the City Council was that that no company were allowed to place advertisements on phones.

    Dublin City Council should make them remove their advertising tomorrow. There is a phone box that I have seen with McDonald’s Advertisement for the last three years that never worked. The reason that Eircom have given is a joke, see how long they will maintain the phones if their advertising stream gone. How many on this comment page would pick up a handset today and breathe the infections from a filthy transmitter when on a call. Disease spreaders and advertising scams is all phone boxes are today.

    33
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute HRH The Brummie
    Favourite HRH The Brummie
    Report
    Jun 2nd 2015, 9:19 AM

    Why not remove the fxxcking junkies.
    An Irish solution to an Irish problem. Get rid of the problem, telephone boxes are NOT the problem…….. for gods sake.

    23
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute SSDP Ireland
    Favourite SSDP Ireland
    Report
    Jun 2nd 2015, 11:58 AM

    We need safe injecting facilities (SIFs).

    The Ana Liffey Drug Project has been calling for the facilities for years. Legislation has already been written up and given to Aodhán O’Riordán, Minister of State for Drugs & Equality, who has said he need to stop using names like ‘junkies’, allow these people some dignity and treat this as a health issue.

    The people using the drugs need drug consumption rooms and we as a society need them to keep this situation as safe as possible, for all. These facilities operate all over the world to great success. This is evidence-based harm reduction based on models used elsewhere

    Benefits of these facilities are:
    1 Decreased high-risk drug use;
    2. Decreased morbidity and mortality among the target population;
    3. Increased uptake of health and social care including drug treatment;
    4. Reductions in public drug use and neighbourhood nuisance

    If you want to show that Irish society is ready for a harm-reductive, evidence based approach to drug policy, you can come to one of our 10 nationwide ‘Support. Don’t Punish.’ events on June 26th.
    The details of the events are here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1089120291102713/

    19
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute david
    Favourite david
    Report
    Jun 2nd 2015, 1:56 PM

    Surely we can kick this can along for another few decades, just like we have been doing.

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute George Knight
    Favourite George Knight
    Report
    Jun 2nd 2015, 11:06 AM

    Well why not remove them? Yes drug users use them as shelter. But Why not use them as a wifi hubs? Get faster broadband in city (if with eircom) or buy a top up so you can use faster broadband around the city?

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute david
    Favourite david
    Report
    Jun 2nd 2015, 1:19 PM

    I think that addiction should be treated at home by the addict equipped by a pharmacy and their GP. A safe facility in a central location/s could improve the situation.

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Gus Sheridan
    Favourite Gus Sheridan
    Report
    Jun 2nd 2015, 4:15 PM

    David, not in a central location thank you

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dsl
    Favourite Dsl
    Report
    Jun 2nd 2015, 11:33 AM

    FINALLY ..

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute dade murphy
    Favourite dade murphy
    Report
    Jun 3rd 2015, 12:35 AM

    we need a total redesign of dublin streets. they are a mess of obstructions that we could do without.
    the bolards all over the CC to stop cars parking , do their job well, but so would an enforced hefty fine or reclamation fee.

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Michael Sands
    Favourite Michael Sands
    Report
    Jun 3rd 2015, 1:01 PM

    What about 999 calls?

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Missyb211
    Favourite Missyb211
    Report
    Jun 2nd 2015, 2:01 PM

    I’ve an idea. Knock them on their sides and let the homeless people use them as somewhere to sleep. Isn’t somebody somewhere spending thousands building custom made box’s to do the same thing. A bit of insulation and bob’s your uncle!

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute david
    Favourite david
    Report
    Jun 2nd 2015, 5:47 PM

    The former telephone box could be fitted with a fold-down seat, stainless steel shelf and ‘sin-bin’ below. Windows could be tinted slightly.

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds