Residents in Navan apartment complex living in fear

Residents of the Steeples in Navan have spoken of their terror of walking past groups of drug users as they come home in the evenings.

The apartment development has had a problem with drug taking in its car park and in communal areas for some time, but residents say the problems are getting worse.

"I have lived here four years and there have always been problems, but for the past year, every single time I go to the car park, there are men there injecting heroin," according to one resident who doesn't want to be identified because of fear of reprisals.

"There are fights there at night. Three days ago, they were screaming until 6.30 in the morning.

"It is very frightening for anyone who has to leave early in the morning or come home late at night.

"There are needles and tinfoil lying all over the place, rubbish everywhere. They are drinking there too and leaving bottles and cans about. People with children cannot let them out. It is awful to see. There is even a tent in the car park.

"When I come back from work, the place is often in darkness.

"One evening I came home and there was a group of them sitting in my designated parking space doing heroin.

"Im afraid to come and go. It is scary. As soon as I reach the gate I wonder what I'll find when I go in. They are always there. If they are calm, great, but you never know how they will react.

"There is a man who deals there openly nearly every day. There have been break-ins to apartments."

She said residents feel they have been abandoned.

"It seems that they are just so comfortable there, they don't seem to think anyone can touch them or stop them.

"It is a real nightmare for residents. We are terrified coming and going."

Another resident said parents are terrified their children will contract a serious infection from dirty needles.

"Everyone is very careful. Children don't get out to play, but even bringing them out of the complex or getting them into a car, there is a danger they'll come into contact with something."

Cllr Eddie Fennessy said the situation on the Steeples hasn't been good over the past few weeks.

"A new management company were appointed in February and to their credit they've carried out a number of initiatives to address problems on the complex.

"My biggest concern is the danger faced by children who might wander into the carpark. There are discarded needles and other such drug paraphernalia scattered around. I'm hopeful that the relevant authorities will remove those as quickly as possible."

"I will continue to liaise with the local residents until their concerns are adequately dealt with," he said.

The management company for the development has been approached for comment.

A spokesperson for Navan Gardai said: “We include the Steeples in our patrols and we have liaised with the management company there regarding anti-social behaviour.”