Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 to 13, inclusive, together.

The north east inner city programme implementation board, which is chaired by Mr. Michael Stone, continues to oversee the implementation of the 24 actions set out in the Mulvey report and to make progress with work on the Dublin north east inner city initiative. The Department of the Taoiseach is closely involved with the work of the board and the local programme office. The chair of the board reports on a regular basis to an oversight group of senior officials chaired by the Secretary General of my Department. This ensures strong and active participation by all relevant Departments and agencies and deals with any structural barriers or issues highlighted by the board. From the outset of this initiative, there has been targeted community engagement and a focus on improving supports and facilities for a wide range of projects and services. One of the major aims of the initiative is to ensure the area is safe for families, residents and the people who work there. Since the start of this year, 51 new gardaí have been assigned to the area to provide reassurance to residents. A Garda community support vehicle, which is expected to be a major asset for the community and for community policing, has been deployed. Increased patrols targeting drug dealing and anti-social behaviour blackspots have also started to make a real and noticeable difference.

The board is also working hard in several other areas.

Efforts to ensure employment opportunities are maximised for local people have resulted in the establishment of a single employment engagement team composed of five staff. Another key objective is to improve the physical environment and build a sense of pride in the area. Recent improvements include the completion of a draft greening strategy by Dublin City Council, the installation of new playground equipment on Sheriff Street, and the commencement of phase 2 of the north canal cycle way, which is a very fine project.

It is also important that statutory and voluntary services work effectively together. At a recent conference held in Croke Park, we examined ways in which children and youth services could work and collaborate better, with recommendations from the conference expected in the coming weeks.

Over recent months, the board has placed an emphasis on ensuring that the longer term actions required to make a fundamental and transformational change to the area are initiated and implemented. Community involvement and engagement are crucial to the success of the initiative and the board is committed to a policy of openness and transparency. For these reasons, the community and general public have been kept up to date with developments through the board's website, which is local newsletter drops and regular community events.

The Government remains committed to supporting and investing in Dublin's north-east inner city community and ensuring that Mr. Stone and the board have the necessary resources to help make the area a much better place for people to live and work.

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