Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin Bay North, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State and I am encouraged by what she said. It is true that this is fundamentally a responsibility for the local authority but what I get from her answer is that the Department is aware of the issue, that it is engaging with the local authority, DCC, and with An Garda Síochána on the issue. It comes to the stage now where it requires a multi-agency approach. It will require intervention and proactive action by An Garda Síochána to secure the site and it will require action by the local authority to clear the site and to ensure the future of the site is much more amenable. The Minister of State mentioned that in her response, so I am also encouraged by that level of vision within the answer.

What the residents require, however, is to be told in good faith that their representations are going somewhere. What the Minister of State said is quite positive but they need to see action. They need to see moves by DCC to begin to move this material. It will need to see physical boundaries put around the compound and actions being taken. It will need to see a Garda presence and some kind of action plan on what the future vision is for this location. I would make the point that it has been said to me that this would not happen anywhere else and that this would not be allowed to happen anywhere else. There is a sense of a lack of faith in the agencies of the State and a lack of faith that they care enough. We do not want to go back to another one of these forums that is populated by public representatives, city council officials and gardaí to talk to the residents if nothing has been done within that time frame.

While I appreciate the Minister of State's answer, I cannot but implore how important it is to the local community that it sees that the agencies of the State will work to remove something that is illegal, prosecute those who need to be prosecuted and allow this entire area to be used for the benefit of the local community, not for the destruction of that area so close to people's homes.

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