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

For the most part, for the community gardaí I have met in the various Dublin stations in recent weeks and months, much of their work was and still is going into schools and engaging with younger people where they can. They are getting back into that now after the Covid period, where it was not happening in the same way. That had a detrimental impact and will continue to have a detrimental impact in the years to come. Community gardaí are back in the schools working with younger people and engaging with the youth justice programmes. The Minister of State, Deputy Browne, has done a huge amount of work in investing in the youth justice programmes and making sure they are rolled out right across the country. Community gardaí engage as well with the various organisations that deal directly with young people. Certainly, the gardaí with whom I have engaged see that as an integral part of their work. It is really important to speak to young people at a young age. However, we have seen in recent weeks a complete lack of respect for An Garda Síochána on the part of some young people. Where that develops at an earlier stage, it is much harder to combat. Face-to-face interaction is absolutely vital in combatting it.

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