Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I spoke earlier about the awful incidents of knife crime, particularly on South Anne Street, and expressed my sympathies to the family of Quham Babatunde. I do so again, as I do to all those victims of South Anne Street and Stoneybatter. Clearly we need to see the positive aspects in the report of the Dublin city centre task force implemented, particularly where the report called for 1,000 extra gardaí. We need a commitment from the Government that recruitment will be ramped up within An Garda Síochána. We need to see conditions, particularly for trainee gardaí, made more attractive so that we will see more gardaí brought on. This is a crucial issue.

In terms of improving the quality of life in the city centre, we saw an announcement today of a new development in Boland's Mills in Barrow Street. This is a discounted rental scheme for key workers that is very welcome. It is a collaboration between Google and Clúid Housing. Again, it is very welcome but why is it that a private company is stepping up to do this? Why are we not seeing more of this sort of positive development for housing in the city centre within the canals and in the Dublin 2 and Dublin 4 area coming from the State?

I endorse the questions that others put to the Taoiseach about including local elected representatives on the Cork city task force and seeing more commitment on the Cork events centre. Our councillor Peter Horgan in Cork has fought for years for transparency with regard to this project.

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