Francis Noel Duffy (Dublin South West, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his time in addressing this issue. I echo my colleagues' statements and reiterate the gravity of the situation in Dublin South-West. It is dire and, in the words of a local drug and alcohol task force worker, the area has become a drug trade ecosystem. It is necessary to work towards establishing safe zones protected by the Garda to allow people to go about their daily lives without feeling intimidated or fearing for their safety. I would appreciate it if the Minister of State would commit to considering this. I also ask the Minister of State to review the funding given to these task forces to sustain their projects considering the significant cuts in funding made due to the financial crash. Funding could potentially be drawn from the moneys seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau.

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