Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Taoiseach's interest in the north inner city. The ministerial task force was launched with great fanfare and there was a lot of hope among citizens there that finally a Government was about to take their needs and concerns seriously. We all know, as the Taoiseach acknowledged in his remarks, that the north inner city, like other working class districts in Dublin and other urban areas, has been deliberately neglected by successive Governments and victimised over the last few decades by vicious criminal gangs. The report compiled by Kieran Mulvey, Creating a Brighter Future, has been ready since February but there has been no substantial progress or investment and no evidence of any meaningful effort by the Government to establish viable local structures to oversee the changes we all wish to see. The Taoiseach said last month that the Government would act on the advice of the report. Does that include the refurbishment of Rutland Street school as a community centre? In February, he stated he would shortly appoint an independent executive chair to head up a number of implementation bodies. As it is almost June and that still has not been done, when will this appointment be made? He also said he intended to visit the area again.

The Minister, Deputy Donohoe, in response to Teachta McDonald, said the Taoiseach will meet with the North Inner City Community Coalition. Will the Taoiseach meet with the North Inner City Community Coalition, which is the parent body that represents the people in the area? Will the Taoiseach say when he will do it? Will he bring with him some properly funded proposals for implementation?

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