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

I thank the Minister of State. He spoke of the damage being done to children. I acknowledge the work done by the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, in this area before her appointment. She visited Ballymun and Finglas in my constituency several years ago to talk to us about "Fagin's law", her Bill on the recruitment of children to engage in criminal activity. While she had been inspired by a father inducing a child to steal from a changing room at a local match, the application of the concept in my constituency was important. We have seen young people being induced into crime. They are given small incentives first, such as a curry tray or something else from the chipper, then a pair of runners and then a track suit. These children are being brought into the drugs industry, which is a lucrative one and difficult to compete with as a PAYE worker. Young people see this disparity and look at the options. We need, therefore, to make interventions and criminalise adults who induce these children to commit crimes. I ask the Minister of State to go further. What other measures does he intend to put in place?

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