Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

On the one hand, Ireland can be painted as going from economic strength to economic strength but, on the other, in one weekend a young mother was assassinated, two young girls were sexually assaulted and an elderly priest was savagely beaten. I have attended meetings recently in parts of this city where mothers have said that their children must walk to school past drug pushers on street corners. They have notified the Garda of this, who I hope are taking action.

Other mothers have told me that their children go to school past kerb walkers and prostitutes who return after the gardaí have moved them on. The gun amnesty has not worked. One can buy a Glock, a hit or a life for a few hundred euro in this city. The outcome of last weekend is devastating for everybody concerned and for the reputation of this country.

The Law Reform Commission is the instrument for change in the law. The Fine Gael Party proposed 18 months ago that home defence should be changed by law to the effect that retreat should not be mandatory on a person in his or her home. The Law Reform Commission has recommended this in a consultation paper. The law is inadequate. We need extra protection for homeowners and they should not be asked to retreat when faced with an invasion of their homes and privacy.

Will the Taoiseach act urgently on this recommendation which requires no money, budget or constitutional amendment? It is a straightforward recommendation to give more power to the homeowner to protect and defend his or her home than to the perpetrators of aggressive and invasive crimes.

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