Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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1. To ask the Taoiseach to provide an update on the formation of the Dublin north inner city task force, its terms of reference, chair and timescale. [30289/16]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Last July, the Government launched a major initiative for the Dublin north-east inner city with the establishment of a ministerial task force to oversee the long-term social and economic regeneration of the area.

To support the work of the ministerial task force, Mr. Kieran Mulvey was appointed to engage with the local community groups, representatives and other interests and to report back by November with specific recommendations.

The terms of reference for this work were also published in July and these include making recommendations on specific measures to support the long-term economic and social regeneration of the area, including in the areas of: community safety and policing; early intervention programmes for children; education and training; employment opportunities; improving the physical environment; housing; tackling the impact of drugs; and community development, including family, youth and recreational activity.

Part of the work involves reviewing and making recommendations on structures and procedures to ensure better co-ordination of statutory and non-statutory programmes in the area.

It will also be important to identify some indicators of economic and social development which can be used to track progress over a ten-year period. A number of short-term measures were also announced to help the community address some of the immediate challenges facing it. The ministerial task force, which I chair, is due to meet again next week and will be briefed by Mr. Mulvey on his work to date. I understand he is concluding his initial phase of work which has involved many meetings with people in the area, including community groups, residents, businesses, public representatives and public agencies. He has invited groups and individuals to make short submissions, which he is now receiving. He remains on track to submit his report by the end of November.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Taoiseach will recall that prior to the establishment of the task force, I told him that not only were older people very nervous and frightened about what was happening in the north inner city, many children were very frightened as well and were asking their parents to explain what was going on. The Taoiseach pointed out a number of issues at the heart of the difficulties faced by the community, particularly the development of a strong and localised community police force. In the north inner city, it has become very common to see armed police units carrying out checks on motorists and travellers going up and down the different roads and entrances. The feud between a number of criminal elements is, unfortunately, still ongoing. I am not aware that any people have been apprehended in respect of the four murders that have taken place in the area. I know that families and distant relatives of people on both sides are terrified about what will happen.

In the context of the proposed Garda strike, does the Taoiseach have a proposal to ensure people in the north inner city are safe given the extreme breakdown of law and order the feud has involved and the fact that people are very frightened? There were many very good proposals and work was done to strengthen community policing. The Taoiseach might let us know how many additional gardaí have been allocated to the north city centre since the development of the task force. As the Taoiseach noted, there is an ongoing, pervasive and very serious drug problem that is a major contributor to gangland crime and the difficulties in many people's lives. It affects not just users but their families who are also affected by pressure for payments that are alleged to be related to drug debts. In the context of this very vulnerable area and the proposed Garda strike involving the withdrawal of services, what proposals does the Taoiseach have to ensure not just adults but children can feel safe? The Taoiseach has taken on the leadership of this. Has consideration been given to a policing plan for the area? Will the Taoiseach tell us what additional Garda resources have been given to the area? We hope the Garda strike does not happen but if it takes place, which would involve gardaí of different ranks withdrawing their labour, what resourcing is proposed?

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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The creation of this task force was a proposal from Deputy McDonald. When she put the proposal, she was very specific and clued in about the need to involve the local community because the local community is central to this. The job of politicians should be to empower citizens. The weakness in the Government's approach is that the task force is a ministerial one. Those who live and work in the community and who have helped it to survive despite successive Governments neglecting and actively discriminating against them do not have the type of involvement they should have at this time. The North Inner City Community Coalition has produced an excellent report, which I am sure the Taoiseach has read. It is very extensive and thoughtful and reports on all the interventions across a range of issues that it believes are needed. If I may say so, it is the expert. The Taoiseach and I as well as task forces will come and go but if we had a task force with the statutory involvement of local people, that would be a constant. It must be sustainable, properly resourced and involve a long-term intervention, not a quick fix on the back of deplorable murders or other controversies which will spark up every so often. Before those murders, the problems in the inner city, like many other neglected areas, were still there.

I understand that Mr. Kieran Mulvey will visit Ballybough House this evening at the invitation of Deputy McDonald. I am sure the local people will tell him what they have told me and the Taoiseach and give detailed propositions for improving their quality of life and opportunities for their children. Those children have the same potential and possibilities and deserve the same rights as anyone else. Will the Taoiseach give a firm commitment to publish the Mulvey report when he receives it and hold a debate in the House as quickly as possible? Will he accept and support the key involvement of local community representatives and stakeholders as of right in this task force because it could be a wasted opportunity?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Standing Order 39(1) is proving somewhat problematic. I tabled three questions for this session. One related to raising the issue of Aleppo and Syria at the European Council. It was arbitrarily sent by someone in the Taoiseach's office to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade when it was legitimate for this session. There were two other questions on programme for Government items.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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To be helpful to the Deputy, that matter was brought to my attention this morning. I believe that a procedure can be put in place to ensure this does not happen again notwithstanding the prerogative of the Taoiseach or Minister to transfer questions.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I would even suggest that if the Taoiseach knew about it, he would not have approved it because the only way we can address a European Council issue-----

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Procedures can be put in place.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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-----is to ask the Taoiseach because he is the only person at the Council.

I have confidence in Kieran Mulvey to set about the task. I also make the point that there has been investment in the north inner city for many years in areas like education and schools. I sanctioned quite a lot for Sheriff Street in respect of second level schools. What is lacking is consistent application of community resource supports. Certain projects and interventions were discontinued, which was a mistake. This did not just apply to the north inner city but to other areas with significant economic and social disadvantage where many community supports were taken back and models of intervention changed.

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Is that a confession?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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No, not under our watch.

The groups concerned would have said this.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Taoiseach will not be able to answer if the Deputy does not give him enough time.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I accept that no one Deputy or leader has a monopoly on empathy or wisdom on the issue.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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No, there is joint responsibility.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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This should be acknowledged, given that many people have been working very hard at the coalface for a long time. We learn that it does not lend itself to simplistic solutions. Deep issues are on the line regarding how people end up in these situations. Simplistic slogans or responses will not work. The communities raised the issue of a mini Criminal Assets Bureau type intervention. It was noticed that many people involved in the drug trade were noticeably demarcated by the trappings of wealth, although some of them were in receipt of social welfare. The Minister indicated that she would respond favourably to the idea. Will the Taoiseach update us on it?

Deputy Burton raised the point that young people and children in the community affected by the trauma of all that has happened in recent times need ongoing, consistent counselling. Deputy Thomas Byrne raised this with the Minister for Education and Skills. Whatever interventions have taken place, it is important, in the context of the initiative, that we seek to embed in schools a more permanent resource in this area which could be of benefit and value to school-going children and young people. The trauma that has been visited on them is significant and there is probably a need for a more solid, systemic response to it in through education.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I am afraid the Taoiseach has only two and a half minutes to respond.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Sorry.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The terms of reference set out for Kieran Mulvey are very extensive. They specifically include "to engage with and involve local community and public representatives throughout the process; this should include a collaborative review process involving children, young people, parents, professionals and other stakeholders". It is clear that the leadership is within the community. There are fabulous communities in the north inner city. As one person there said to me, less than 1% have given the place a bad name. The purpose of the focus on the north inner city is to create a template that can be transferred to other locations. Chief Superintendent Patrick Leahy runs a great Garda involvement project in the north inner city and I hope the industrial action being mentioned does not take place. I hope the Garda Representative Association, GRA, and Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors, AGSI, will return to conversation with the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality. We do not need it to happen. The GRA said it would request that the gardaí involved in armed Garda units would not participate in any action, and this means the task force established by the Commissioner under the Government's instructions will be able to do its job.

The Garda Commissioner is overseeing a new Garda special crime task force. It has been in operation since July 2016 and operates in co-ordination with other agencies such as the Revenue Commissioners and the Criminal Assets Bureau, CAB. The law is being changed in order that those who have the trappings of wealth from ill-gotten gains from drugs can be apprehended more easily. Operation Hybrid has been in operation and is being reviewed weekly. As of 4 September, more than 40 arrests have been made and five people have been charged in connection with recent shootings. Other deaths have been prevented. There has been an additional €55 million in 2016 for the Garda Síochána to assist in a number of initiatives, including concentrated policing which targets gang crime. There is a dedicated armed unit. Kieran Mulvey's report will be published and he will be in to us next week.