Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The extent of the work that the Tánaiste and other Ministers, Departments, organisations and even the committees here have been doing regarding Brexit - all the worries, concerns and implications - has been obvious for quite some time. In the main, the focus has been on the economy and preparing the Irish economy for the impact. We have had so many discussions around business, agriculture, jobs, the Single Market, the customs union, the common travel area and how the Good Friday Agreement is being undermined. I look at all that and the drive, energy, work and commitment. I know it is very necessary but I also look at what is happening in the north inner city where I am looking for even a fraction of that drive, energy and commitment on the issues that have seen such an escalation in violence, a callous indifference to life and the neglect of those communities and their way of life.

I have heard comments that this violence and the number of murders in a small area would not be tolerated if it was to happen in the leafy suburbs of Dublin or Cork. I suppose it would not be tolerated but that is missing the point. The point is that it is not happening there and it would not happen there. It is because those leafy suburbs were not neglected in the way the communities in the north inner city have been over many years and through many Governments when one looks at the difference between the areas in terms of housing, infrastructure, environment, the health of the residents, jobs, careers, disposable income, access to a variety of social activities and progression in education. I would ask how much open drug dealing is happening on the streets of those leafy suburbs. It is because of that difference that the inner city has been a fertile ground for the drug industry and all the mayhem, chaos and violence it brings. It is telling that it took a string of murders to bring attention and focus on those issues in the north inner city.

I know it will not change overnight and I acknowledge the work that has started and the work of the gardaí and their successes through their intelligence gathering but the reality is that there was another murder on Tuesday night, the evening before the funeral of another murder victim. I think back to the first murder, which took place during the last election, but now it is almost like "oh, another murder in the north inner city, more of the gangland feud" and then it is forgotten about until the next one. It is likely that there will be more. The residents of the north inner city, particularly young people, teenagers and senior citizens, deserve the same respect as those who live in those leafy suburbs and they also deserve the same right to a peaceful existence enjoyed by people in other areas. This will not happen unless there is a real urgency and a real commitment to tackle those issues that have brought about the chaos we are experiencing.

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