Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The youth justice strategy for the period 2021 to 2027, produced by the group chaired by the Minister of State, Deputy James Browne, is presented as a comprehensive plan to address youth crime and provide support for vulnerable young individuals; however, a critical examination of it raises concerns about its effectiveness and potential implications. We can produce all the documents we want on young people but we must look after the young people on the ground. They are trying their best, as I saw recently at the West Cork Garda Youth Awards in West Cork Hotel. I saw at first hand the great young people. They need to be commended for their efforts and what they are doing in their community. If we can encourage them, we will not have to produce half the paperwork in this country. I commend everyone. I have tried to involve myself in the Garda Youth Awards through Community Alert for many years, as have my colleagues. I congratulate Ms Caitlin O'Sullivan from Goleen, among others, who won awards for their work. Only for the Garda Youth Awards, the young people would go unnoticed. The same goes for those in communities who arrange activities for young people. In this regard, I am thinking of Foróige. The youth get involved also. Kinsale Youth Support Services, known better as KYSS, does so much for young people and gets very little commendation at any forum. I would like to make sure such groups do not go unnoticed.

Individuals such as Brendan Piper of Pipers Funfair, Kinsale, have catered for youth from all over Kinsale and Cork county for decades. I ask the Minister of State or his Department to intervene in any way possible to get the funfair up and running again for young people. Pipers Funfair was asked to move from where it was in Kinsale and did so peacefully having made a request to be allowed to go back. Now it is not allowed back by the council one way or another. There have been several protests in Kinsale and there are more to come in the next few weeks. It was sad to hear a councillor on the radio the other day blaming everyone but councillors, saying the only way they would do something for Pipers Funfair would be if they got an apology. That is an astonishing way for any council to act. It really is the sting from a dying bee. We need to be working with our youth. The likes of Pipers Funfair were brilliant for the young people of Kinsale for decades. I would like the Minister of State to intervene and not have councillors seeking apologies, only people willing to work and put forward solutions to keep young people's minds active. There are jobs at risk and enjoyment is at risk. This should be addressed regardless of anybody's ego.

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