The Minister's opening statement started off in a way that was almost expected. He acknowledged the outstanding work of An Garda Síochána and phrased it in a way that somehow what everybody else was about to say was somehow challenging An Garda Síochána, as opposed to challenging his Department, his policies and his responsibility. Across this House, all contributors have said that An Garda Síochána does incredible work, but that work is being impacted and made more difficult by the policies, resourcing and the inability to listen to those on the ground whom we ask to serve. That is the Minister's and his Department's failure. My contribution will be aimed towards his Department, not any individual member. I acknowledge Deputy Kelly and the Labour Party for bringing forward the motion and the diligence that Deputy Kelly has brought to the committee. This morning, the Irish Penal Reform Trust published a report that every Member should read before they speak, especially the Minister. It found that children are being drawn into criminality from the age of six - not 16, not 12, but six years of age. When the Minister opened the debate by talking about the fact that we have not had a gangland murder in whatever length of time, of course that is welcome. I know what it feels like when bullets make loud noises that everybody responds to. When a child is groomed into criminality through physical or sexual exploitation and that child has to become a runner of drugs or stand on a corner, it is very difficult to convey the extent to which that is so insidious in so many communities because gangland crime has adjusted. Gangland criminals have learned that the resourcing of the State will come when noise is made. There has been a transformation on the streets. That transformation is being felt in the destruction and annihilation of a child's life. The manifestations of that are felt in parks, for example, in many constituencies. In my constituency, the Diamond Park off Gardiner Street is about a three-minute walk from O'Connell Street. Such is the extent to which criminality has taken hold in that park, dealers are using a saw to cut the slides because they do not want children and families in there given that is one of the places where they like to be able to sell their drugs. That is what happening. It is happening in Diamond Park and in Liberty Park. It is not only happening in parks in the inner city, it is also happening in St. Anne's Park and the length and breadth of Dublin city. That is happening without any degree of Garda presence or intervention. It is so insidious. These are the tactics - shut down public resources and squares so they cannot be used so that gangland figures who are exploiting young people into crime could take advantage of them. There is not a concerted effort on the Minister's part to tackle it, combat it and get in front of this. I often talk about where his priorities lie. For example, last September, the State flew 79 gardaí on a deportation flight that had 24 people on it. Is there a Member who would not like to see 79 gardaí somewhere in their constituencies at any one point? No, the Minister's priorities were for that at a cost of €500,000 to the State, excluding Garda overtime, at the same time that police stations are lying empty, community parks are being closed and children as young as six are being groomed into criminality. Where is the focus? We have seen deaths of children from arson attacks and I have not seen an appropriate response. The Minister spoke about a high-visibility plan for Dublin city. I walk down O'Connell Street every morning, including today and at night. I did not see a single garda there. There is a pernicious, insidious level of criminality and exploitation of children in this country and the Minister is not in front of it.

Sentiment score: -0.05