Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I wish to address a point made by Deputy Gannon on Gaelscoil Choláiste Mhuire first. It is my priority, and I am sure that of everyone else, at the moment to make sure the children, their parents and the staff in the wider community are supported in every way possible. I reassure Deputy Gannon, and any families of those in the school, that Garda members are present and liaison officers are engaged with the school and with the crèche. With regard to any incident today, there was communication and contact with the Garda immediately and a response happened immediately. However, it is really important for those schoolchildren that there is normality, and having a garda present and stationed directly outside the school at all times is not a way we return to normal. I reassure people that there is a Garda presence on the ground and it will be maintained.

I have sat here for a number of hours. For the most part, although some Members have provided some, I have heard very few solutions. I have not heard many proposals. I have heard very few from the opposite benches to do anything to try to unite in response to what have been appalling scenes and an appalling attack. What I have heard is political opportunity and I have heard political point scoring. A young girl, her school classmates and her carer were viciously assaulted last Thursday. The violent disorder that ensued, because of thugs and criminals, should be an opportunity and a reason for us to come together to ensure this does not happen again. Instead, the Opposition used its time - with the main party spokesperson calling me names – as an opportunity to lecture us. The Labour Party spokesperson used this opportunity to tell me I do not love Dublin and that I do not understand Dublin.

Let me be clear. I understand we have the most wonderful capital city, and I know that because I have either lived or worked in it for over half of my life. I understand the people who make up the very fabric of this city are the reason it is what it is. These are people who come from across the world who live and work and make this their home. I know that because I am lucky to call many of them my friends. I understand that every person in this city wants to feel safe and be safe and I know that is not always the case, because people have told me. I understand the impact Thursday has had on so many people who have responded to and supported those impacted because I, like others, know those who have responded and have been impacted.

I have listened when people have told me they do not feel safe. When people have told me they want more gardaí, I have listened. When gardaí have said they want more resources, I have listened. When people have said they wanted more than a policing response, I have listened, and when people have said, and I have seen for myself, the increase in hate in our society, I have listened. I am responding.

That is why €10 million in additional funding for overtime was allocated to Dublin city centre to complement the work of the 3,742 members who currently work in Dublin city centre, the members whom Deputy McDonald seems to think do not exist. That is why I have added this additional funding to complement the work of Operation Citizen, a particular operation with the sole focus to provide visible policing in the city centre. That is why the majority of new recruits have come to Dublin and why I am absolutely committed to ensuring our overall numbers of recruits increase so they can be spread right across the country. That is why I am working to remove any barrier that would prevent people from joining An Garda Síochána and why the community safety partnership was piloted in our inner city. I would urge Deputy Gannon, who has not engaged with and does not support the community safety partnership, to join his community who have been constructive and have supported this. That is why I have introduced tougher sentences to deal with criminals and introduced tougher sentences to respond to those who attack members of An Garda Síochána and our emergency workers. It is why our budget for An Garda Síochána has increased by almost a quarter since I became Minister three years ago and why I am introducing legislation to assist gardaí with dealing with crime, and hate crime in particular. It is why gardaí are being given body-worn cameras, why we are ensuring they have facial recognition technology, why we are investing in diversion programmes and probation services, why our Courts Service has 24 additional judges, the highest increase since our courts were established; and why we are building new prison spaces. It is because I have listened and responded and I am putting forward solutions.

I also acknowledge that more needs to be done. More needs to be done to support retail when it is victim of crime and to deal with the antisocial behaviour it is experiencing; to protect those minority groups who are afraid; to ensure those who are the very fabric of our society are not afraid to go about their daily lives; and to ensure those who incited violence and hatred and those who carried out the despicable acts on Thursday are brought to justice. However, let me be very clear, and let us repeat this time and again to those who do not seem to understand: the only people who were responsible for the violent scenes we saw on Thursday were those who committed those violent acts - nobody else. By denying that, you are contributing to the violence and the mayhem. Gardaí responded to these violent incidents in an exceptional way. They put themselves in harm's way, in danger, and we owe them a debt of gratitude. They will get our support, whether it is additional equipment, water cannons or clarity on their powers, they will be supported because, unlike others who say that they support them and in the very same breath criticise them, I and this Government will support An Garda Síochána. Of course, lessons will be learned from what happened on Thursday - of course they should – but gardaí will work tirelessly, day and night, to bring the individuals who committed that horrific attack on Thursday to justice and they will do everything in their power to ensure the thugs and criminals who are responsible for the looting, rioting and attacks on our city centre and gardaí will face the full force of the law. I and this Government will support them in that.

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