Margaret Conlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)

I am delighted to have an opportunity to address the House on this issue. I extend my deepest sympathy to the families and friends of the two lads who were brutally murdered in Drimnagh. It is abhorrent that such attacks, which reflect awfully on all of us, can take place in the Ireland of 2008. I condemn this brutal killing. Such crimes highlight major flaws in society, which appears to have broken down in a serious way. Parental responsibility is a fundamental issue that seems to have been forgotten in this debate. It is alleged that this crime was committed by minors. If people under the age of 18 are not at home, I respectfully suggest that their parents should know where they are, who they are with and what they are doing. Parenting is the only job I know of for which one is given little or no training. Perhaps it is time to consider giving parents the skills they need to cope with difficulties like challenging behaviour as their children progress into adolescence. We could talk all evening about legislating for this and for that, but legislation curbing the availability of weapons will have no impact on cases such as the murder that inspired this debate, in which a screwdriver was used. Many household implements can be used to inflict injury or death.

It is regrettable that certain people now have a cavalier attitude to life. At a time when minor disputes are being solved with stabbings and shootings, what type of society are we allowing to develop? Goggle-eyed children are used to films, shows and computer games which suggest that one can hurt, harm and kill to any extent before one switches one's PlayStation off. When one switches it back on the following day, one's opponents are back on their feet without a mark on them. It is no wonder that children who are exposed to such activities each day do not put a price on life. When I was young, my family attended religious services every weekend, at which we were taught right from wrong. That does not happen any more in some communities, sadly. Many families continue to attend religious services, at which respect for human beings, authorities and society is instilled in young people, but for some people, there is a loss of respect for, and belief in, the church. They disregard the vital role the church played and continues to play in our society. Our societal structure is totally unrecognisable from that of 15 or 20 years ago. Many young gang members consider shopping centres, off-licences, gaming arcades and similar venues to be the cathedrals of the 21st century. Such vacuous, hollow and weak influences are shoddy foundations for our young people.

While I recognise that the building blocks in the lives of our young people must be put in place by the State, to a certain extent, I believe that the role of parents is far more important. We cannot overlook some parents' abdication of their responsibilities and the dwindling effect of the church when we assess how to tackle this problem in the medium and long terms. In the short term, we must recognise that the Government is committed to providing the necessary personnel and equipment to the Garda Síochána to enable it to deal with these difficulties. A budget of €1.6 billion — an unprecedented level of investment — has been approved for the force this year. The community-based CCTV scheme is designed to provide financial assistance to local organisations which are trying to meet the capital costs associated with establishing local CCTV systems. Such a system has been approved in Monaghan. These systems represent a practical way of giving communities greater peace of mind as they attempt to tackle anti-social behaviour. They are a strong tool in the fight against crime. I urge the Minister to expand the national CCTV scheme.

I welcome the establishment of a joint policing committee in Cavan, involving all the major stakeholders who will work together to ensure that communities remain safe places. I am aware that authorisation of a similar committee in Monaghan is awaited. I ask the Minister to expedite that process so the committee can be established. Young people under the age of 18 who commit so-called "adult crimes" seem to be in a type of limbo because they are not punished for the crimes they commit. We must be tough on crime and the causes on crime. We should not be afraid to use the term "punishment". We should and must punish the young thugs who intimidate, scare and assault people but are allowed to get away with such cowardly acts because of their age. I hope the perpetrators of the heinous crime in Drimnagh can be brought to justice in a swift and speedy manner. That is needed if we are to ensure that no other family endures the pain and suffering experienced by the families of those whose loved ones were killed while visiting this country.

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