Barry Heneghan (Dublin Bay North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Go n-éirí leis an Aire Stáit ina phost nua. The presence of community gardaí is not just about enforcing the law, it is about building trust and, in north Dublin, creating the safer neighbourhoods I want to see. It is about fostering real partnerships between gardaí and the people they serve.

In recent years, we have seen progress in Dublin and I can stand here proudly and say I am the son of a garda who served for 35 years. I have seen at first hand how gardaí help when they are dedicated to community policing roles, engagement with youth services and an emphasis on prevention rather than reactive policing. When gardaí work closely with residents, schools and businesses, it has been shown through multiple studies that antisocial behaviour drops and a strong sense of safety grows. Community-led initiatives, such as the Garda youth diversion and outreach programmes, have proved that when people feel heard they engage more positively with law enforcement.

I want to bring the Minister of State's attention to Belmayne in Clongriffin where there have recently been multiple incidents of teenage gangs assaulting residents. These teenagers have been named and are underage but the gardaí are not getting them into these youth diversion programmes. They need to be in those programmes. If you can prevent someone at an early age from engaging in crime, you can save their future.

We need to go further. We need to increase funding in the Garda, build up more gardaí on the beat and increase visibility on our streets. We need stronger partnerships between the Garda and local organisations to ensure gardaí remain proactive rather than reactive. When Garda models put people first, it prevents the crime before it happens, making Dublin safer. For me, that is especially important for my constituency of Dublin Bay North.

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