I thank the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform for coming into the House this evening. I challenge him to show some sense of ministerial responsibility for the crisis in policing which is engulfing communities in Dublin 15 and other parts of Dublin West.
I want to highlight three recent examples of criminal events in Dublin West. The first is the shooting dead of a man in a pub in Corduff in front of drinkers. The second is the vicious assault on a young teacher at his home in Castlecurragh in Dublin 15 during an attempted car robbery and the third is the armed hijacking of a car from the front door of a female health worker as she returned to her home in Dublin 15.
This is just an ordinary time in Dublin West. Many families are left devastated, while young thugs ride high with a sense of impunity as they believe themselves to be the untouchables. Despite repeated requests to the Minister for a dedicated community policing force in Dublin 15 and other similar neighbourhoods, nothing has happened. Every time we get community police, they are withdrawn a few months later – they have to check cattle or something like that. Given the huge population growth in the area and the fact that thousands of new homes are being built, crime is exploding and taxpaying citizens, who are trying to get on with their lives, feel under threat.
During the summer I was advised by Fingal county manager, Mr. William Soffe, of the type of anti-social and criminal behaviour being experienced by residents of two new estates in Castlecurragh and Blanchardstown Heath. It included windows being broken by youths and children throwing stones, drinking in private rear gardens without the owners' permission, verbal abuse and harassment, urinating in apartment doorways and sitting on apartment window ledges, burning of wheelie bins, damaged cars and other property, theft and joyriding. The county manager said that the council and the residents had reported these complaints to local gardaí. It is interesting to note that some complainants who called the gardaí for assistance were advised that they were powerless to act and that it was a matter for the council to resolve, given the location in which anti-social element resides.
The council, as part of its response, has arranged stone picking expeditions at regular intervals to remove potential ammunition from the area. If that is the only thing the people of Dublin 15 can rely on for protection, it is small wonder that many people now believe the Minister, who was once so vocal, should give some consideration to resigning his position.
The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform famously used to talk about the nurse married to the garda and how important it was that they could afford a home. By working all the hours God sends the couple can just about afford a home under the Government but what they cannot get from it is the type of policing service to which they are entitled as taxpayers. A dedicated local community police force, giving the thugs no breathing space, is the key to successful local policing worldwide and enabling people to reclaim the streets and estates for decent, law-abiding citizens. The Minister knows this but chooses to ignore it. As long ago as last February I asked him for complete details of community policing numbers in Dublin Garda stations and total active policing numbers in these stations. I am still waiting for his reply.
Other measures to combat violence and anti-social behaviour include investment in education and the community. Preventing young boys, especially, from dropping out of school early by providing community based education and alternatives to formal second level education is critical to reducing anti-social behaviour. Community employment schemes which provide local facilities in clubs and sports for children are also important. Needless to say, these are precisely the areas the Government has decided to damage with budgetary cutbacks.
The drugs problem in Dublin 15 has significantly worsened in recent times, with cocaine use spiralling upwards rapidly. This is in contrast to the dinner parties in Ranelagh mentioned by one prominent television commentator. According to local gardaí, many young people are now taking a lethal combination of cocaine and alcohol which can lead to devastating consequences. It can result in feelings of paranoia and aggression and is a key contributory factor in late night street violence. The challenge to the Minister and his Government colleagues is to manage Garda resources in order that communities can rebuild some confidence in policing. So far the Minister has not lived up to this challenge.