‘There are needles, bottles, cans and tents all over the car park’

Residents of The Steeples apartment complex in Navan say they are terrified by the drug taking and anti-social behaviour that takes place in the complex.

“It is terrible. The car park is taken over. It is used for drug taking and drinking, I am terrified of going in or out that way,” said one local resident, who didn't want to be names because of fear of reprisals.

A shift worker, she said she leaves and returns home late at night or in the early hours of the morning.

“It is very frightening. I don't park in the car park anymore, because it has been completely taken over. I park on the street or on the Fair Green.

“The complex and particularly the car park is used by homeless people. There are needles, bottles, cans all over the place as well as tents.

“It is also used as a dump, there is all sorts of litter strewn everywhere as well as plastic bags of rubbish, It is a wonder there aren't rats.

“There used to be a management company, but they are not involved anymore.

“There are a lot of children living here, and it must be terrible for those families. I'd hate to be living here with children,” she said.

Cllr Eddie Fennessy said the situation at the Steeples apartment complex is completely out of control.

“Rubbish is strewn right across the complex with large piles of it dumped at the main entrance on Timmons Hill.

“The rubbish room where bins are stored has been set on fire three times this year and refuse collection seems to have stopped altogether.

“If that wasn’t bad enough, the problem with rough sleepers in the underground car park has also gotten worse with more and more homeless people staying down there. Those that are living there have addiction issues and there is drug paraphernalia scattered around the complex. Residents with young children are absolutely petrified and say it is only a matter of time before a child is injured from a dirty needle.

“A management company was employed by the property owners to look after the complex. I wrote to them a few weeks ago and was informed that they have terminated their contract and they have no responsibility on the Steeples anymore. I also wrote to the council to report the dumping issue and to the Gardaí to report the safety concerns of the residents.

“A coordinated effort is the only way to deal with this matter. The property owners in particular, have a responsibility to their tenants. I have tried to make contact with them to no avail. I take this opportunity to ask them to reach out, my contact details are available online. My only agenda is the safety of the residents and their children,” he said.