Lynn Ruane (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I speak not as a politician but as a resident of Tallaght west because I was a young person who needed services. The standard to which I hold services is fairly high and I am fairly intolerant of services that do not go above and beyond for young people.

I have to say what I have noticed in the 11 months that Connect 4 has been in Tallaght west. I am still very involved with my community. My friends' kids are the kids who need the service now, it is not us any more. The amount of messages that I receive saying "I just seen Paul Perth jog around with so-and-so and so-and-so, he is up there jogging around Kiltipper Hill, what is he doing?" I have never experienced that. Everyone is commenting on the presence of him and the team in Tallaght west in such a positive manner. Men who would have been engaged in all sorts of things with me are ringing saying it is absolutely great to see Paul Perth and his team out working with the young fellas. I have not experienced that probably since way back when the likes of the community addiction response programme, CARP, was originally set up. I have not seen that type of response from a community to a service. It shows the need but it also shows the personality of the person involved. We can have a service and an intervention but there has to be the right people providing those interventions. I think that is a testament to Paul and how he engages with young people on the streets of Tallaght west. I want to thank him for that as a resident of Tallaght west rather than a politician.