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

We need to make sure that those who engage in particular types of behaviour are stopped and prevented at the earliest stage and supported and directed in a new path. That is, again, not to conflate this in any way with what happened on Thursday night because no situation encourages or forces somebody to go out and loot, riot and vandalise property and other public supports. We have invested in our youth justice services. We have doubled the amount of funding that has gone into our diversion programmes. We are investing in our probation services to make sure that for those who get caught up in the law at an early stage, there is strict monitoring and oversight and gardaí are working with them. However, it is also about making sure we have as many gardaí on our streets as possible. Time and again, with every new class coming out of the college, we are seeing increased numbers. That is how we will respond to many of the challenges we will have.

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