Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I also add my voice to the condolences for the great legend, Mick O'Dwyer, and offer my sympathies to his family and the GAA community. The GAA community does so much, as do rugby, soccer, boxing and all the different sports, to divert young people away from harmful behaviour. In my area we are lucky that the diocese of Waterford and Lismore provides a youth service that covers much of south Tipperary, and indeed the Cashel and Emly diocese does great work in youth services and is building in Tipperary town on the main street. Of course Comhairle na nÓg is active as well. I compliment all involved there especially a friend of mine, Joe Higgins, in Elm Park, Clonmel who is doing great work in the community. It is important, as Deputy Toole said, mol an óige agus tiocfaidh sí. I believe that is a profound seanfhocal. We must do that because the carrot is better than the stick. Praise the young people because they are great. They have such pressures today that we never had, such as the Internet and mobile phones and rudaí mar sin.

I give thanks to the youth liaison officers. We do not have enough of them and they are pulled away from their duties because of traffic duties. There are two wonderful gardaí in my area, Garda John Walsh and Garda Philip Ryan who are both off work long term due to vicious assaults against both of them. They are fine officers. It is a pity because they have the ear and the confidence of the community. As a parish priest once said, if you want to fill the churches, you must stand in the kitchens of the houses. It is important to have gardaí on the ground. When my kids were small, gardaí used to visit the national schools. I do not now whether they do that anymore. It is very important they should have a relationship with gardaí before they get into trouble and go down a slippery slope. I thank my GAA club in Newcastle, Caisleán Nua, for the tremendous work it does, and all the GAA clubs and all sporting clubs. I have to single out Clonmel Boxing Club, Martin Fennessy and the team there, including Shauna O'Keeffe. There are many great young people in sport and boxing with great achievements. They do great work.

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