Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It has been great over the past month see Dublin city reopening. We see people back in their offices. We see shops and businesses reopening. At night-time, we see many people back out socialising again. Unfortunately, however, that reopening has also been accompanied by a significant increase in violent criminal activity in the inner city of Dublin. The title given to this matter is "Antisocial Behaviour" but I think it could be more appropriately referred under the title of "Violent Criminal Activity". I do not think we should understate the matter by simply referring to it as antisocial behaviour.

The type of activity I am talking about relates to young men or boys getting involved in violence against other people that they do not know. In effect, it is gratuitous violence being perpetrated by them against people who work in restaurants or doormen. It is violence being perpetrated against other young men and boys who are walking down the street. Even yesterday, I heard of an attack on a young woman not far from here. This activity seems to follow the same characteristics. These are young men attacking people who they simply do not know.

We need to try to formulate a method of approaching and resolving this very serious matter. It will become recognised as being just a part of life and Dublin unless we take a stance on it now. We need to send out the message – and I know the Minister of State will agree - that there should be zero tolerance for this type of gratuitous assault on individuals. It is simply not acceptable that boys or young men, who are in general the victims, are subjected to attacks on public streets by people they do not know. This is happening on Dame Lane, Merrion Row and St. Stephen's Green. It is happening all over the city. Deputy Gannon is the other Member who raised this matter. I am sure this is also happening in his constituency.

I ask the Minister of State that we ensure that we have greater visibility of policing, as was mentioned in the context of the previous matter, and emphasise that this type of behaviour is socially unacceptable.

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