Donaghmede parish and the constituency of Dublin North-East are supportive of the probation and welfare service and recognise the great, valuable work it has done in recent decades. We also recognise the necessary conditions required to implement the Children Act, 2001, particularly regarding its emphasis on parental responsibility and meetings between the perpetrators of crime and their victims. As a director of northside partnership, I have been heavily involved over the past 18 months to two years in linking up with the connect programme to train and place ex-offenders who form one of our four key target groups in the Dublin North-East and Dublin North-Central constituencies. That programme presents real problems for the partnership's staff which we on the board discussed at length.
The major concern in Donaghmede and surrounding parishes, such as Ayrfield and Baldoyle, is that no consultation took place regarding this proposal among the community, their representatives and the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. The only planning notice was a small reference to new windows and doors at the shopping centre in Donaghmede. Where Donaghmede has been consulted in the past, as was the case with the Northern Area Health Board in relation to homes for vulnerable youngsters, the response has been generous, but in this case there was no consultation before the general election and little since with Deputy McDowell.
The key problems residents have identified at two huge meetings at Holy Trinity sports and leisure club and at Holy Trinity parish church a few days ago relate to the location of the proposed regional centre and its sheer size. At the meetings local women and families expressed concern at the placing of this centre in an enclosed shopping centre whereas around the city and country other major probation centres are based on the high street or in security or industrial areas. There was a major concern in relation to Donaghmede shopping centre in particular because Kay's Kitchen restaurant, which is run by our esteemed business people, Bert and Barney Glover, is the nearest we have to a main street in the parish and fears were expressed about the kind of things that could develop there.
There has long been concern about the running of the shopping centre and people have asked why demands over the last two decades for a Garda station for the parish and its environs have not been met. There are no other information offices of any kind in the area, yet this major proposal for a regional centre has been put forward. There is concern about the size of a regional office which is to cover the north inner city, the Minister of State's constituency, my Dublin North-East Dublin constituency and the constituency of Dublin North. Constituents want to know why there was not liaison throughout the area with regard to centres for Swords, Malahide and Portmarnock, Donaghmede, Clontarf and for the north inner city. Why are the provisions being centred in Donaghmede, which is missing vital support services?
We welcome the briefing that Ms Ailish Glennon and her staff gave to us at our parish church during which they courageously set forth what they wanted to do, but major concerns have been expressed regarding issues people wanted to put. My experience is that ex-offenders are div ided into three categories of low, medium and high risk and we in the northside partnership job placement centre were advised by the probation service to deal mainly with those in the first category. We have had no information, advice or consultation in relation to those matters on this occasion. Donaghmede, Ayrfield, Raheny and Baldoyle parishes are quite prepared to deal with our problem children and people who have strayed for what ever reason and to integrate them back into the community. However, there is concern about the basing of a huge regional office like this in one parish and in an enclosed shopping centre.
I understand that the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform has met resident groups from the Donaghmede, Grange Abbey, Donahies, Clare Hall and Grangemore estates over recent months and there will be a 12 month review period and a review committee. However, the concern remains and people feel they are being treated like children. If there had been an up-front local proposal, the Minister of State would have found that people dealt with it generously, but our constituents do not like being treated like fools.
