Robert O'Donoghue (Dublin Fingal West, Labour)

I wish to highlight a matter of real and growing concern in the southern part of my constituency. There has been a recent surge in antisocial behaviour in the Northwood area of Santry, particularly around Gulliver's Retail Park. Families, residents and business owners feel increasingly unsafe due to targeted and aggressive incidents, including reports of cans and stones being thrown at passersby, including children, in public spaces but, more worryingly, racially motivated incidents and incidents of harassment.

This behaviour is not only totally unacceptable, it is deeply distressing for those who live or work in or visit the area. The atmosphere in Northwood is changing for the worst. This is an area in which people have lived peacefully for the past number of years. What we are witnessing is more than just nuisance behaviour; it is a pattern of intimidation that is shaking the sense of security in a community that was safe and that should be safe and welcoming for all. The area around Gulliver's Retail Park and the nearby residential zones seems to have become a hot spot for these incidents. I have many emails from constituents within the area in which they provided detailed reports. These are not just isolated events; they are evidence of a wider pattern that the residents say has been building in recent months.

In response to these incidents, I am calling for a more visible Garda presence and patrols in the area. My colleague Deputy Kelly provided me with updated Garda figures for this year. Thankfully, Ballymun received three additional gardaí. I am also calling for better public lighting in public walkways and car parks to deter illegal activity. There is a need for a collaborative effort involving gardaí, Fingal County Council and local stakeholders to address this issue and to re-establish the joint policing committees, which have been stood down for more than 12 months now, as a matter of urgency. Given that Northwood spans two separate local authority areas, will the Minister of State clarify the measures that are being taken to facilitate the appointment of the chairs and co-chairs of the new joint policing committees to address these issues effectively and ensure co-ordinated policing and community engagement in the area is taking place?

Let us be clear. Antisocial behaviour affects more than just the immediate victims, it also damages the wider community. It creates fear and poison. It undermines the trust in public spaces . If left unchecked, it escalates very quickly. That is why a co-ordinated and proactive approach between the community and gardaí is urgently required. We owe it to the residents of Northwood and Santry, especially the families of young children, to restore safety, dignity and peace of mind to their daily lives. Antisocial behaviour has no place in our communities and should not be tolerated. This needs to be addressed immediately.

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