Chris Andrews (Dublin Bay South, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Go raibh maith agat, a Cheann Comhairle. I acknowledge and extend my thoughts to the children and adults hurt in Thursday's sickening attacks. Those attacks were heartbreaking. There were many heroes on the day. I commend the gardaí who had to put up with extreme levels of violence and abuse. The gardaí on the front line were immense. The gardaí I deal with daily in the south inner city go above and beyond each and every day. Equally, gardaí do not have the resources they require. We have had 12 years of Fine Gael Ministers for justice and have a bigger population and fewer gardaí now than when Fine Gael took over. The events on Friday, for anyone representing or living in the inner city, were not surprising. We saw it coming.

It is important to remember we will not police our way out of the problems in the inner city. Neglect of the inner city is a huge issue. Generational neglect by this Government is now manifesting itself.

So much neglect of housing and housing estates means that many must live in conditions that are simply unacceptable and are disconnecting generations from society. A generation has been lost on this Government's watch. Residents looking at their conditions see clearly they have been let down and neglected by the State. They see the lack of educational opportunities and the lack of good jobs. They see the lack of, and poor, leisure facilities.

While a complex and multilayered response is needed there needs to be a law and order response. I have regularly warned the Minister in the House that the resources are not being put in to make the city safe. Over a number of years there have been running knife battles on City Quay. Many children have now got to the ages of 15 or 16 without facing any consequences for their criminal behaviour and terrorising families in City Quay and Creighton Street. This must change. There must be consequences for those terrorising residents in the inner city. I noticed the Commissioner said recently there will be a large number of arrests, and that of course is positive. However, this is of little use when they will all be released the next day. Of the 34 people who were arrested recently, 32 were released the next day on bail. What are the consequences for those terrorising communities, because they seem to face very little or none? I heard the Taoiseach say earlier that juveniles are not immune from the law. I could say it seems to many residents in the inner city that juveniles are immune from the law. That needs to change.

See this speech in context