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

I would also like to welcome that announcement. While not in my constituency, it is a matter we dealt with many times on Dublin City Council. It is a site with a significant legacy. It is also a site where we can demonstrate how we can tackle disadvantage and how early intervention can make a real difference. The Taoiseach's Department has been doing work in the north inner city for some time and €30 million is a substantial intervention. It is also the access to senior officials that allows issues to be identified and resolved.

Has the Department of the Taoiseach considered how that model might be extended outside of the north east inner city? I have been calling for it in my own area in Ballymun and Finglas. There are communities throughout Dublin, for example in Darndale, and in Limerick, that could benefit from a targeted approach in tackling the impact of the illegal drugs industry and breaking the cycle of disadvantage. It is something Fianna Fáil has been committed to for a long time, including when we were in government in the past. I would like to see us deal with it in this term. The north east inner city has been getting significant attention. We now need to see how we can provide those same solutions to other communities throughout the country.

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