Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)

I am grateful for the opportunity to debate this matter, in however limited form. I am also grateful to the Minister for attending. I join him in expressing my sympathy and that of the Fine Gael Party to the family of the deceased and, indeed, the community of the East Wall area.

The Minister will be aware that nine months ago, following the savage and brutal murder of two Polish persons in Drimnagh, the House held a day long debate, which was described at the time by Government sources as a watershed. However, the situation has deteriorated not only in Dublin but also in other urban areas since then. There is a crisis of confidence with regard to dealing with criminal justice matters in a comprehensive way.

This is the 20th gun murder so far this year. The situation is such that urgent and comprehensive action is required. I share the Minister's view that it would not be appropriate to comment on any matters that might be of evidential value in this case, but a well-respected worker in the inner city area, Fr. Peter McVerry, is on record as saying that guns are freely available to young people in inner city Dublin. We are not dealing here with legally held and lawfully licensed guns but with young people and illegally held guns. We are dealing with a society that has given rise to a situation where children as young as ten years of age are engaged in the drug courier business and a 12 year old was recently seen wearing a bullet proof vest as a method of self defence.

The gun culture among young people is a very serious problem. Where are these guns coming from and what is the Minister doing to deal with the issue of illegally held firearms in this city? What action does he propose to take?

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