Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I again thank both Deputies for their commitment to this. The implementation of these recommendations will only work, if all agencies, including the various Departments, whether Justice and Equality, Health, Education and Skills or Employment Affairs and Social Protection, come together. This mirrors the work we intend to do through the recommendations of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland, in respect of which we are bringing together all the various agencies. It was alluded to, that in many cases, particularly at weekends and where services are closed or otherwise not available to people, gardaí are the front-line service that people call. They are there for health reasons, housing reasons and many other reasons. What we need is for them to be on the ground tackling criminality and working with our communities. They can only do that with the support of all the various agencies. That is why I hope with the recommendations from Mr. Geiran that we can set about this work specifically in the town of Drogheda. I accept there are other surrounding areas in the county and other counties that would like to be included, but this is a specific ask from the people of Drogheda, given the very serious crimes that have happened there in recent years. I have asked Mr. Geiran to expand that if he needs to do so.

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