Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

On behalf of the Minister for Justice, I again thank both Deputies for raising this matter. It is vitally important and they have brought forward very serious crime issues in the area that we need to tackle. I assure them that community safety is a priority for the Government and An Garda Síochána, as evidenced by the Government's unprecedented Garda provision for 2021. In tandem with this year's record Garda budget, the Department's justice plan for 2021 includes a range of commitments focused on actively supporting communities to enhance the safety of all residents. These include the establishment of a special expert forum on antisocial behaviour, which has already helped to inform a new scheme to tackle the misuse of scramblers and quad bikes. We also had the launch in April of the new youth justice strategy for 2021 to 2027, which has a strong focus on diverting young people away from offending and building supports to provide prevention and early intervention in young people's lives. Antisocial behaviour will also be considered by the local community safety partnerships that are to be set up by every local authority under the Department's new community safety policy. Three pilot partnerships are currently being established, in Dublin's north inner city, Longford and Waterford, and will run for the next two years, ahead of a nationwide roll-out. That is to be welcomed.

I assure the Deputies that the Minister for Justice continues to meet with the Garda Commissioner on an ongoing basis in regard to all Garda enforcement matters. I encourage members of the public to report any incidents of assault or antisocial behaviour directly to An Garda Síochána.

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