Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I have had this matter selected as a Topical Issue on four separate occasions. Each time, I called for a comprehensive, Cabinet-led approach to the issues of violence in our city centre, which too often has plagued and blighted the place that I love and that I walk through every day. We have had some satisfaction in that regard. The Taoiseach has announced that he intends to construct a task force to address issues of antisocial behaviour in Dublin. Today, I come before the Chamber seeking to understand the nature and make up of that task force. I would like to understand the manner in which it will be formatted. There was an announcement today regarding the chair and some other members. I was also conscious, as the Taoiseach announced certain constructive parts of the task force to address safety in the city of Dublin, that at that same time a scenario was taking place on the Grand Canal. Hoardings and fences were being constructed, horrendous in terms of their aesthetic and the image we would like to present as the image of the city. I understand the desire for those two things to be seen as separate, but I do not believe they are. This city will be safe when this city feels safe and is safe for everybody. I would like to understand from the Minister of State the exact make up of this task force.

Who will be on it? My understanding is that there will be representatives from Dublin City Council, An Garda Síochána and Transport for Ireland. That makes complete and utter sense. For example, will the HSE also be present? One of the issues we have seen for decades in Dublin city centre is people in chronic states of drug addiction who are very vulnerable. How does the Taoiseach intend to cater for that need? Will the task force look at detox beds to allow people to recover from substance misuse? Will the task force come back with recommendations to all of us which are basic when it comes to Dublin city centre? How many more gardaí will be on the streets? We should not have to wait 12 weeks to understand that. What is the budget? How many more gardaí will there be and will they be municipal gardaí or will gardaí taken from other parts of the country be policing the streets on overtime? If that is the case, we have seen it before and it does not work. The streets cannot be policed on overtime.

Will engagement happen, not only with the business community, which should absolutely be consulted? Remembering that the city centre is also a place where people live, how will that be factored into the Taoiseach's task force? What will be the engagement? I would like to understand how the task force will differ in its make-up from any of the other initiatives that have been announced in terms of safety in the city centre in the past five or six years.

I did a little research before I came in today. Only last August we had the safer communities initiative that was launched to great fanfare by the Minister, Deputy McEntee. Will there be an overlap? What will be the consultation with groups such as the LGBTQI community, members of which have expressed fears about the rise in hate crime? Will the Irish Refugee Council be part of the task force? In 12 weeks, what will be the difference? I would like to be constructive. I have been asking for this for a long time. I would have liked to have seen more engagement before announcements were made. There are fine representatives of the north and south inner city, representatives on councils, who were not consulted. A public relations video was put out by Fine Gael on Saturday which included the Taoiseach, an MEP candidate and local councillors. That is fine, but imagine being someone who has worked and lived in the city and has not felt consulted in the same way the Taoiseach's party did. I am looking forward to the Minister of State's response.

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