Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)

All of us are appalled to learn of the stabbings of a teenager and of a tourist in his 20s in Dublin over the weekend. We all think of those who have been injured and of their families. News of these attacks put fear into people. Knife crime is a real concern for many, particularly in Dublin city centre.

An Garda Síochána, to much fanfare from the Minister's side of the House, announced an increase in visible policing only recently. That is very welcome but we are concerned that in rural areas and some urban areas we have seen a drop in Garda numbers when read alongside retirement and resignation figures. We have real concerns over numbers of those involved in community policing and concerns over implementation of the Dublin city task force recommendations. How will the Minister give people peace of mind when we see this level of violence and see attacks like these occurring in Dublin city centre in spite of announcements from Garda headquarters and the Department about visible policing on the streets?

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