Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

People tell us they want immediate solutions to their problems. I am speaking specifically about the intimidation issue. The witnesses from CityWide Drugs Crisis spoke about low-level intimidation and stated that there were no incident or Garda reports and that those experiencing it keep their heads down, do not make eye contact and mind their own business. Last week I met a gentleman who lives on the same street as a serious player, and the gang is intimidating the entire street. He keeps his head down and makes no eye contact. This is how broken he is. He told me he felt he could not go to the Garda because he would be burned out or acid would be thrown on his kids' cars, so he came to me privately. I have advised the Garda on it but the gardaí tell me they have no evidence. He will not go to the Garda. There are many streets in Dublin, Cork and Limerick like this, where the people have ceded control to the gangs, which is heartbreaking for these families.

Will the witnesses comment on this from a policing point of view and based on their own experience? Some of the kids doing the intimidation are among the 9,000 kids who have just been released from prison. When I say kids, I mean those aged up to age 18 or 19 years. They are part of the jigsaw also. What advice can the witnesses give the committee with regard to responding to this ceding of control of an entire street? It is just not acceptable. It is also not acceptable from a policing point of view to hold up our hands and ask what can we do. The same families tell me when Johnny was kicking a ball on the Howth Road two gardaí pulled up, stopped him and told him he should not be kicking the ball there, but they seem to back off dealing with the serious issues in communities. We must address this problem. The committee is seeking solutions. How would the witnesses advise us on this aspect of it?