Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)

We have a serious problem with crime. I urge the Minister of State to listen to what I have to say. He has not been listening for the past while. The Government does not understand what is going on. It has lost contact with people. It has become so arrogant it thinks it knows everything, but it does not know what is going on.

I also wish to be associated with the remarks on Garda Paul Sherlock. I remember being on the Government side of the House at a time when we had bank robberies, murders and raids and the then Minister, Nora Owen, was blamed for everything. I remind the Minister of State that those in Government are responsible now because they are in power and should protect the people, but that is not happening.

In Mayo, for example, the main problem at weekends is anti-social behaviour, but what is happening to deal with that? We have fewer gardaí on the ground to deal with such issues. I will meet the superintendent this weekend with regard to a problem in Ballinrobe, where every weekend there are rows and fights. There are not enough gardaí to deal with this problem. If we have a problem in a town or village every weekend, somebody in power should deal with the issue. If they do not have the resources to deal with the thugs one Friday, they must deal with them and put manners on them the next Friday so that people who want to live in towns and do business there can do so in peace. They cannot continue with the situation as it is.

Deputy Cyprian Brady was right in what he said about drugs. People in my town and in every area have enormous wealth and are driving around in 2007 vans and Mercedes cars, yet they are drawing social welfare. What is happening to deal with this? Nothing is happening, yet if a poor devil does not pay his tax on time, the Revenue and tax office are after him. The Criminal Assets Bureau should investigate people who have wealth that cannot be explained. Nine times out of ten such people are involved with the drug trade, robbery and theft.

In County Mayo every summer people come into the county in new vans and they want the local authority to provide parking for them. They are on social welfare, yet have the best lifestyle. What is the Government is doing about this? Why does the State not do something about these people who have unexplained wealth that has not been acquired through work or running a business? Let us target the criminals and the people bringing drugs into our areas. Let us target people who continue to cause trouble with their anti-social behaviour. It is time we got tough on them and took them on. It is time to protect law-abiding citizens who are living in fear of being attacked at night.

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