15. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Taoiseach if he will provide details on the implementation of the Dublin city task force recommendations through his Department. [32469/25]

Sentiment score: 0.00

I also wanted to raise this matter. I welcome that the task force is there and has been proposed. There is some concern at city council level about the task force's level of funding to achieve the goals it sets for itself, which are welcome, including the creation of an attractive, safe streetscape and a desirable location to live, work and do business in and visit. Many of my constituents on the northside of Dublin have voiced the view to me that they are afraid to come in to the city. Some of the work done by the Minister in providing more gardaí for the city centre at Store Street and Pearse Street is welcome, including by the public in general, but there is a sense that some of the problems have been displaced to the suburbs as a result and some of the areas now under construction and those that have been constructed in the past 15 or 20 years, certainly on the northside in my experience, are going down the road of suffering from the same problems as the north inner city. We will have to look at that in a bigger, more holistic way.

Sentiment score: 0.10

21. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Taoiseach if he will provide an update on the progress of the national security strategy. [29818/25]

Sentiment score: 0.21

As the Taoiseach will be aware, in 2019 the Government proposed to develop a national security strategy. The new strategy at that time aimed to set out a whole-of-government approach on how the State could protect its national security and vital interests. Over a period of five years, from 2020 to 2025, the current and emerging threats have changed significantly and the threats have increased significantly, particularly given the international context in which we find ourselves, to which other Deputies have alluded. I welcome that national security is given such a high profile, with the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste, the Ministers for foreign affairs, Defence, Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, the Secretaries General of those Departments, the Defence Forces Chief of Staff, the National Cyber Security Centre director, and the Taoiseach and Tánaiste's chiefs of staff also attending meetings. It is crucial that the council keeps abreast of this issue and meets regularly to keep on top of the continuing threats. I welcome the fact that the State has announced a contract to develop a new sonar system which will be a towed sonar capability. When attached to an Irish naval vessel, it will assist the Defence Forces with monitoring subsea areas in Ireland's exclusive economic zones. It will help with fisheries, drug and other criminal detection.

Sentiment score: 0.22