Paschal Donohoe (Fine Gael)

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Barry Andrews, for coming to the Chamber to respond to this Adjournment matter. Given the amount of coverage and discussion already given to the particular incident I am raising, I will focus on several issues of particular concern. Several inner-city communities are under assault from the activities of a small number of families and individuals. The tragic murder of Mr. Aidan O'Kane in East Wall is the latest manifestation of this.

East Wall is part of my constituency and an area I know well. Much of the discussion that has taken place arising from this murder tends to include such phrases as "social breakdown" and "social decay" and references to the negative aspects of life in that community. One of the reasons I raise this matter on the Adjournment is to emphasise that some aspects of this analysis are incorrect. The communities in the East Wall and the adjacent areas of the North Strand and North Wall are the opposite to what has been depicted by the media coverage. These areas are characterised by strong communities and a spirit which is largely unique in the areas of Dublin I have tried to represent. It is almost a rural spirit in terms of people's relationship with their neighbours and their efforts to look out for one another and in terms of the strength of local institutions such as schools, churches and voluntary organisations, as well as the extent of co-operation with Dublin City Council. However, I am struck by the fact that in the discussion that has taken place thus far, the context is largely one of community breakdown. The opposite is the case.

The murder, and much of the criminal activity, took place against a background of amazing community strength, which makes what we are discussing here even more disturbing. The criminal activity and the terrorism in the area is occurring on roads in neighbourhoods and districts characterised by a strong community spirit, wonderful skills, great churches, neighbours and people who look after each other and themselves. The one point I want to emphasise to the Government is the need to take a different approach to the way we have tackled issues like this in the past in that we must accept that a very small number of individuals and families are causing the terror people are experiencing.

In terms of how we move the issue forward, we spend a great deal of time talking in this House about the need for stronger policing and, undoubtedly, there is a need for that. I am a member of the policing forum that deals with that area and there is no doubt about the need for stronger community policing in the area. Notwithstanding the brilliant work gardaí in Store Street and Fitzgibbon Street stations are doing, they need to have the ability to do more of that wonderful work.

There is also a need for a change of attitude on the part of the Judiciary and the institutions that support the work being done by the gardaí. In addition, there must be much more support for families in the area. On the one hand stronger policing is required but on the other we need stronger families because it is those family units that will stop children being out on the streets almost 20 hours a day. They will prevent children aged four, five, six and seven years being out on the roads intimidating people and creating the type of atmosphere in which serious criminal activity can flourish.

The approach we should adopt in areas like this one must include organisations such as the National Education Welfare Board and it must ensure that the funding and support some of the schools have in the area is not threatened but increased because, regardless of the funding we allocate to support the gardaí, they cannot patrol every laneway and street corner. A preventative model must be adopted.

I wanted to put my concerns on the record of the Seanad. I have done it elsewhere but I wanted to raise the issue here also. I emphasise to the Government that the issues we are discussing are not ones of community breakdown or districts and neighbourhoods letting themselves go, so to speak. In the areas we are talking about the opposite is the case. Communities are trying to look after themselves and they are doing that very well. That makes the episodes we are discussing more shocking and means we must treat them in a different manner from the way we have done up to now. I thank the Minister of State for coming into the House and look forward to his response.