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

We need to come at this from a number of different angles. There is not one single solution to resolve what is a problem not just in Ireland but right across the world. We need to continue to invest in and support An Garda Síochána to work with its partners across the globe to try to tackle at source the organised crime groups and those who are responsible for producing this. We need to work in communities.

To Deputy Ó Murchú's point, what we have done in Drogheda has been hugely successful, supporting the Garda while also, with the Drogheda implementation report, working with the communities and the addiction and support services, linking in with the education providers, talking to the communities impacted by organised crime in the most severe way, and making sure that every arm of the State is talking to one other and supporting one other. That includes education, telling young people about the negative consequences of their actions and trying to prevent this type of behaviour from starting in the first instance. At the same time, we need to invest in resources to provide supports where there are addiction problems and there are challenges down the line. It is a multifaceted approach.

I commend the Garda on the work it is doing because in recent times there have been significant successes in seizing drugs and taking down so many of those who are involved in organised crime groups and causing this misery in the first instance.

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