Mr. John Twomey:

Halloween night was a particularly challenging night for the members of An Garda Síochána and indeed for all of the blue light services. A lot of planning takes place in advance of any such night. We work with the likes of the Fire Brigade, the local authority and the various joint policing committees. Detailed plans are put in place to ensure that the night is an enjoyable and safe night for all who want to enjoy the festivities.

There has been an ongoing improvement and reduction in the overall level of anti-social behaviour incidents in various communities. This trend actually continued this year. What is of particular concern is the fact that there were a number of very serious incidents in which people were seriously injured. There are ongoing criminal investigations into each one of those incidents. This will be part of the debrief with all of the other agencies, and it will form part of the planning to see whether it was a once-off or a trend and what action An Garda Síochána needs to take.