Joanna Tuffy (Labour)

I join with Senator Brian Hayes in raising the shoot-out on the M50 and N4 near Lucan, which is in my constituency. I am seriously concerned at the incident. Last night I attended a public meeting at which I was approached by a constituent who told me that she feared for the future, wondering what kind of place it would be to raise children. That is the feeling on the ground; people are afraid. Matters seem to have spiralled out of control very quickly.

The shooting only stopped when the car being pursued pulled in to the Texaco garage at the N4 in Lucan. Even at that time of the day, there would have been people in the vicinity, since it is a very busy garage. Innocent bystanders might have been shot. People in their beds in neighbouring estates would have heard the shooting. I have read newspaper reports, and the information emerging is surreal. A person was shot a few weeks ago, and those involved, who were very young, wore bullet-proof vests. A certain individual seemed to have amassed great wealth at an early age, but we do not know how. There is a problem and I would like the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to come to the House and, instead of going on the defensive and trying to prove this, that and the other with statistics, to outline what he will do to solve it. Will he demonstrate leadership because strong leadership is needed in the face of this problem? We need to know what policing measures will be introduced to tackle gang warfare and the drugs issue, which has been allowed to go out of control by the Government.