I requested this Adjournment debate on the need to re-establish good Garda-community relations in Dublin's inner city to combat the drugs problem in order to highlight and bring to the attention of the Minister for Justice the seriousness of the position in this area and the level of frustration of the local community as it witnesses drug dealing openly conducted in streets and neighbourhoods at all hours of the day and night. The open dealing in drugs and the Garda's seeming inability to stop it has led to frustration in the community. This is compounded when they see local anti-drug groups being targeted by the Garda. There is a belief, no matter how ill-informed, that the Garda is more preoccupied with controlling the activities of anti-drug groups than tackling the drugs problem.
Last week I met local people who were peacefully patrolling their estate off Cork Street. A woman told me that earlier she had reported to two gardaí in a van parked across the street that two young girls were dealing in drugs at that moment. She said that the gardaí politely thanked her and said they would deal with the matter, but they sat there and did nothing about it. A few minutes later they drove off while the two women completed their dealing and left. Incidents such as those create a sense of helplessness in communities where people want to co-operate with the gardaí. The frustration of the local community is shared by the gardaí on the beat.
There is a need to direct greater resources and Garda manpower to these areas to show people that as a society we are concerned about these matters. We should have the political will to take whatever action is necessary. I have advocated on a number of occasions a zero tolerance attitude towards crime, be it drugs or illegal cigarette dealing. We must send out a clear signal that as a society we will not tolerate breaches of our laws. To permit illegal drug dealing on our streets without the maximum level of Garda action sends out the wrong signals. Recently I spoke to a retired member of the Garda who witnessed people in Henry Street and other areas selling cigarettes, most of which are illegally imported.
I welcome the recent setting up of the operation, Dóchas, as a first step, but it must be that. Despite the possibility of renewed terrorist activity and the need to direct extra Garda manpower back to the Border, the extra 500 gardaí in the inner city must remain there on a long-term basis. This must be augmented by more community policing in conjunction with the local people.
In reply to my written question the Minister yesterday informed me that, in effect there are now fewer gardaí on the beat than there were 11 years ago. In real terms over the past 11 years we have recruited 79 fewer gardaí annually than have either resigned, retired or otherwise left the force. If the Minister examines those figures she will see that they are correct. I invite the Minister to accompany me, and other local Deputies, on a tour of parts of the inner city without prior notice. She will see for herself the low level of visible Garda presence and will hear the frustration of local people who see their offsprings' childhoods being taken away from them on the streets and corridors of their own neighbourhoods.
I appeal to the Minister to maintain the current Garda presence and not to return them to Border duty. If we have to we should get them from somewhere else, but I want to see a growing confidence among people in the Garda. They want to co-operate with them.
At meetings I attended I heard people say that they will not take part in illegal demonstrations. They do not want anything illegal to be done. They want to work within the law, but the Garda must be given back-up resources to deal with these people. It is almost too late at this stage. We have a big job on our hands to restore people's confidence in the Garda. They want to have that confidence restored.
