James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)

I thank my colleague, Deputy Charles Flanagan, for raising this timely issue. It is time to get tough on criminality and anti-social behaviour. We have reached a crisis point in respect of law and order. The figures suggest that the reporting of crime is down. However, this does not mean that crime levels have fallen. The figures to which I refer do not take account of the fact that many people have given up reporting crime. At a meeting in Lusk last night, several people stated that they had reported incidents to the Garda and waited to be contacted. However, the latter never happened. I do not intend to criticise the Garda, per se, because its resources are stretched. However, I wish to discover whether these requests for assistance are noted or recorded. Is it the case that because they are not pursued, they are never recorded and hence do not appear in the figures?

There are part-time Garda stations in the Dublin North constituency at Lusk, Skerries and Rush. There is no station in Donabate. The population of these four villages is 40,000, which is the same as that of the city of Waterford. How are individuals expected to feel safe when there are only three part-time stations for the entire area? People are extremely concerned.

Deputy Ring referred to the right of people to defend themselves and their families in their own homes. Like other people, I would not be prepared to stand idly if my family was in danger in our home.

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