Mr. Paul Perth:

Going back to what I read out earlier about the cosmetic approach, there are millions being spent in west Tallaght, and indeed across the country, on playgrounds, BMX tracks and all this type of stuff we mentioned earlier. We would definitely see this as a cosmetic approach. With regard to young people coming from houses where there is domestic abuse and sexual violence, they are real-life. It was asked earlier if politicians understand. I remember being here last year and talking to a couple of politicians, saying it is Christmas on 25 December and parents of 13-, 14- and 15-year-olds let their children smoke weed for a couple of different reasons. It regulates them, their siblings and their home. They get up in the morning and go to school. They are able to sleep. We understand that, as youth workers. I am sure everyone here understands that, but with regard to the politicians, one of them stopped me two minutes later and said, "Do you realise what you just said there?" I did not understand why he was shocked, and I was shocked that he was shocked.

To answer the Deputy's question, I do not know whether I can explain properly what we face daily with regard to the level of poverty. Addiction to crack cocaine is rampant out there. I do not like to bring it into this House. I invite anybody to come out with us or Karl, do some street work with us and walk the streets in Mac Uilliam.

This time last year, there was a place up in west Tallaght that I am sure is mirrored around the country. The grass was a foot and a half high and they were playing football in it with the nitrous oxide canisters that are probably a foot. They were using them as goalposts. We were looking around asking what was going on there. Where are all the services? Why are we not working together? Why is the grass not cut? Why are there are not football pitches there? It is so easy to turn this place from an antisocial space that nobody wants to go to to a prosocial space. It was done probably within three weeks. That is mirrored all over west Tallaght.