Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)

Last Saturday week at 6.30 p.m. one of the most gruesome murders in living memory took place when two innocent men were brutally murdered on the street in Drimnagh just yards from their home. These people were law-abiding, hard-working residents of Drimnagh who were minding their own business when they were brutally attacked. On behalf of Fine Gael, I offer my sincere and heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of Pawel Kalite and Mariusz Szwajkos. They remain in our thoughts at this tragic time.

Some may argue that the manner in which Pawel and Mariusz lost their lives constituted an isolated incident. However, I believe their deaths must be considered in the broader context of a sharp rise in knife crime and assaults in recent times. The figures speak for themselves. In 2007, stabbings accounted for almost one half of homicides. Moreover, between 1999 and 2006, the number of assaults causing harm increased more than five-fold from 737 to 3,971. Last year, serious crime rose again with significant increases in gun crime, drug offences, murder and threats of murder. There were 84 murders and manslaughters, including 26 stabbings and 28 gun murders — the highest number of murders in the State since the civil war.

We cannot bury our heads in the sand and hope that such an illogical and malicious attack will not happen again. As a Parliament, we must ensure that steps are taken to bring an end to the rising tide of stabbings, assaults, mindless violence and intimidation. Following last week's murders, many people reflected upon the inter-related and growing trends of anti-social behaviour and the abuse of drugs and alcohol that have crept into Irish society and become seemingly embedded therein. These three social ills have risen in tandem — the two former arguably spawning the latter — and are most prevalent among our young people. Crimes are being committed daily by yobs high on drugs and crazed with drink who have no respect for the law or for their fellow man.

It sounds like a cliché to say that every city, town and village in the country is affected but that is the sad truth.

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