Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will be supporting the Government's amendment to the motion, and I urge the Opposition to do the same, in order that we can send a strong message from this House that the type of activity taking place in Dublin in recent months is unacceptable and this House rejects it. I agree with other Deputies who described the problem, which dates back to July, of people with pets, people with children with special needs and older people being terrorised in their own communities. The difficulty is that in communities such as mine, people often look out the window and see scrambler bikes and open drug dealing going unchecked by the powers that be. Then they hear the bangs of fireworks and do not even bother reporting them.

It was in that context that I wrote to the Garda Commissioner. When he was appointed, he said "Crime is not like rain, it does not fall evenly on us all". Community policing in my area is being undermined by this activity. Deputy Seán Crowe said that this motion provided us with a focus with which to deal with this issue. I suggest that the Deputy is late to the party. I have been dealing with this matter with the Minister and the Garda Commissioner since August. I was pleased last week to receive correspondence from the assistant commissioner stating that Operation Tombola has been brought forward by a month. That will be a necessary intervention.

I also welcomed the public safety campaign on fireworks also being brought forward by one month. I had the great pleasure to launch it last year when I was the Lord Mayor. This year's campaign was launched today by the Minister, one month earlier than last year. The Commissioner has assured the new Government that these measures are already having an impact on the ground. I am not sure people in my area believe that yet, but we have time. We must deliver before Hallowe'en, because if we do not life will be unbearable in communities such as mine.

See this speech in context