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

I thank the Taoiseach. In 2016, I wrote to him eager to ensure that we might expand the north-east inner city model to the Ballymun area, which was experiencing a significant rise in the use of crack cocaine at the time. He indicated that the solution was at local authority level. When I was Lord Mayor of Dublin City Council, I commissioned Mr. Andrew Montague to write what is a fantastic report, Ballymun: A Brighter Future. The previous Taoiseach engaged strongly with our joint policing committee and committed to funding.

The success of the north-east inner city model is that provides access to senior officials. The co-ordinating role of agencies in an area is one of the key discoveries of the north-east inner city model. It is not always necessarily about additional funding; it can sometimes be about ensuring that funding is concentrated in areas where there is most need. It is also about structural changes such as the recruitment of senior social workers or issues around the number of gardaí being deployed. I urge the Taoiseach to put in place a measure that will extend access to a senior officials group to the Ballymun area in order that the money being allocated will be spent in the best possible way with the agencies working on the ground. Such a group would give us that framework. I understand it should be Dublin City Council that triggers it and I urge the Taoiseach to encourage it to do so. Cherry Orchard jumped the queue a little for an understandable reason. However, while Ballymun is being patient to make sure this is a sustainable model across all areas, we want to move ahead and get that group established.

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