Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Nobody disputes that fear stalks the streets and the communities to which he refers and which I have heard people speak of. However, it is not normal to have 1000 intensive, armed checkpoints since February in any location but that is what is being done. The Minister met with the Commissioner to request particular strengthening of Garda resources to deal with gangland crime in the inner city and an extra €5 million was made available to concentrate police measures in those areas. Young men and young women working with the police force who know those areas are the personnel and yet this morning in the Avondale House flat complex, despite the fact of the proximity of an armed Garda checkpoint, these killers went in and murdered one man and wounded another.

Obviously for communities the very visible checkpoints themselves cause consternation and fear - and why would they not when people normally go about their business in a law-abiding fashion. This is a vicious and murderous dispute between two families and I do not think I can stop that. However, the Government can provide the resources and wherewithal that the Garda Commissioner needs in order to have her forces deal with this in the way that they have to.

I am quite prepared to accept that things are different than they were 20 years ago but I would like the Minister for Justice to see to it that we meet with those communities and demonstrate to them that the Government is serious about their protection and that there would be no diminution of facilities, services or resources. I believe I will accept Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan's invitation to meet those communities to hear at first hand what the Deputy is telling me. From our point of view the Garda Commissioner has confirmed that she is happy with resources, the strength and the facilities made available to the gardaí to deal with this. This is another unfortunate murder and shooting of another man.

See this speech in context