Denise Mitchell (Dublin Bay North, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I also express solidarity with all the victims of last Thursday's horrendous attack on the children and adults of Gaelscoil Choláiste Mhuire on Parnell Square. Children's safest place should be in school, where they are educated, make friends and build life skills. Last Thursday's shocking criminal act destroyed this place of safety for children. The perpetrator must face the full rigours of the law, when possible.

What happened in Dublin last Thursday night is unforgivable. All right-minded people throughout Ireland remain horrified and disgusted by the acts of violence and rioting and that people claimed they were carrying them out in the name of Ireland. We must all be clear that none of this was carried out in our name.

I was born and have lived in the north inner city. I am always proud to call myself a Dub. I am proud to be a Dub, but I was not proud last Thursday night of the burning buses and Luas trams, the attacks on gardaí and members of the front-line services, the looting of shops and the spewing of vicious hate and the intimidation of people because of the colour of their skin. My message to those people is that this does not protect women and children. It does not build the houses that are needed. It does not give communities the services and interventions they so badly need.

Dublin is hurting and is scarred. The Minister and the Government must heal these wounds. To say that warning the signs were not there is totally wrong. Control was lost in our capital city last Thursday night. We must make sure that never happens again. If the Government is incapable of taking back control, it is time for a new plan, a new fully resourced approach and perhaps a new Government.

I will finish where I started by offering all my hope for the speedy recovery of all those who were seriously injured last Thursday.

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