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

When we talk about crime and antisocial behaviour among young people, we often focus on the consequences but we need to ask what is causing it in the first place. It reminds me of a story I heard at an event by Peter McVerry. It is a story I come back to which goes, if you see people floating down a river, you jump in and rescue them. Then you see another person floating down, and you jump in and rescue them. Then you see another and eventually you ask yourself, "Where are they coming from and how are they falling into the river?" You walk up the stream and find the source of the problem. That is what we need to do with our youth. We need to stop pulling people out of the river and go up the stream to fix the reason they are falling in and getting involved in crime.

Recently I asked the Minister for Justice about the number of young people referred to the Garda youth diversion programme. In 2022, there were 8,434. However, in 2023 that number dropped by 7%. That is fewer children being prevented from falling into the river and engaging with the Garda, giving them the alternative to crime. We need to support the Garda and give it more resources for encouraging community engagement.

What I have been seeing and hearing from the meetings I have been having is that young people are being pulled into violence at a younger age than ever. They are organising fights on Snapchat, WhatsApp, TiKTok, sharing videos online of bullying. These are 13- and 14-year-old children crying out for structure that they are not getting. If they are not getting it at home, they need to get it through the youth diversion programme, youth clubs and sports clubs.

Social media are warping developing minds and with adolescents, tá sé i mbéal an phobail faoi láthair. It is addictive, damaging and corrosive, especially for kids of that age when their identity is being formed. We are social beings and we are always looking to fit in. I am 26 and I saw it creep in when I was 13 or 14 but it has only become worse. These multinationals have designed this to be as addictive as possible. We all see it ourselves. I can barely walk down the street without whipping out my phone.

We need to be bold enough to act. The Australian Government is leading the way on banning social media for under-16s. We should look into alternatives. This is not about censorship; this is about protection and giving parents an alternative. If we want people to be prevented from going into crime, we need to give them alternatives.

I would love to talk about a particular incident in Dublin Bay North where we need to have the options for children to have something else to do. That is what it is. They do not have anything else to do. Kilmore Celtic football club lacks basic amenities. There is no water, no electricity, children have to get changed in the bushes and go across the road to use other people's toilets. We are not giving the children an alternative to getting involved in crime or standing on street corners. Please therefore, can we go up the river? Give more investment to youth clubs and sports clubs in north Dublin. If we are not going to do that and have the courage to walk up we are not going to solve this. Can we look into Kilmore Celtic and all the community centres and sports clubs in north Dublin and give them the facilities they need?

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