Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister's initial positive view of the all-party pledge in respect of this. The Minister said that this is a challenge for the Dáil. It is more than a challenge. It is imperative that we do not just talk about an area that has been in the public view periodically for decades, but actually commit ourselves to finding a resolution. We can do that. All of us, and I put my hand up, have failed this community. We have failed it because we have not delivered the resources in a consistent, co-ordinated, marshalled and ongoing way that would break the cycle of deprivation that has led not only to elements of crime, but an ongoing lack of participation in proper health statistics. I ask the Minister to ensure that we have a clear timeframe for this task force, that the membership will be set out - he can come back to me on that - that there will be real community buy in and that we, as an Oireachtas, commit ourselves to this area. Let this be the model area where we will commit over whatever time is required to ensure that we do not revisit the same issues for this community in a decade or two.

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