Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)

I did not say the closing of stations was responsible for gangland crime, rather I said we needed prevention to be part of the strategy, for which we need Garda stations. There are towns with a populatin of 20,000 to 30,000 who only have access to eight gardaí. I do not accept we can have an effective policing force in such cases. We need action on this issue. We need policing action, but we also need a community response. Does the Tánaiste accept that part of the solution to the problem of drugs and gangland crime is to deal with groups like the CityWide Drugs Crisis Campaign which has great experience of dealing with the drugs issue in communities? How many gangland members have been arrested under the new legislation in the past six months?

Will the Tánaiste look at issues such as the jailing of the former IFA leader John Dillon over the use of a stupid sign on the side of the road? The resources of the State are being used to jail a man and waste Garda time, while others are intimidating communities. I know people on the north side of Dublin who are afraid to speak out because they are under threat from gangs. Young mothers are coming to me, afraid that their sons are being sucked into gangs, selling drugs and then being intimidated to carry out robberies. This is what is happening in the real world and I urge the Government to take action. I urge the Minister for Justice and Equality to wake up and act on the issue, as he is asleep at the wheel.

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