How many Members are looking to speak? We could divide it.

Sentiment score: 0.00

I support this amendment. Deputy Ward has tabled an important amendment. I ask the Minister to take it on board. If he does not take it on board now, I ask him to incorporate it when he is looking at this legislation and other legislation. What we have now is that the money made on the back of some of the communities that are most affected by drug dealing and criminality is not going back into those communities. That is just not right. We and the Minister know from the Pobal index where these communities are, where the communities who need the help are and where this money should go. I would love to see the Minister encourage CAB and give it the resources to go after more of these drug gangs, suppliers, dealers and criminals. They are destroying communities, families and individuals. CAB might get to them in the end, but we should be getting to them a lot sooner. There are drug dealing families in Cork who have been dealing drugs for nearly 40 years. How can a family be dealing drugs for 40 years and allowed to get away with it? CAB has tackled some of them but there should be a no-nonsense approach to these criminals because of the damage they are doing. There are people in my community who have died by suicide because of the pressure that was put on them and their families as a result of drug debts. That is as good as murder. They drove them to suicide. They need to be tackled head-on. This amendment goes to supporting communities that need it the most. I will give the Minister examples. Golden Gloves Boxing Club has all-Ireland champions and European champions. It is renting a unit at the moment. That will be gone this year. There are 70, 80 or 100 children in the hall of Mayfield Boxing Club. It has no facilities of its own. Elite Boxing Club has no facilities of its own. It is renting again. That money should be going to them. Councillor Michelle Gould put in a motion relating to Knocknaheeny. Why is there no playground in Knocknaheeny? It is one of the most disadvantaged areas. Does the Minister know why? Cork City Council would not replace it because it kept getting damaged. Does the Minister think that it is right that people in Knocknaheeny have no playground because criminals are getting away with it?

Sentiment score: -0.10