Kathryn Reilly (Sinn Fein)

All Senators will have seen yesterday's newspaper report of a woman in County Donegal who had to transport gardaí to her burgled home because no Garda car was available. When she reported the burglary, she was told by a garda that he did not have access to a patrol car. Could the Minister for Justice and Equality be brought to the House to discuss this issue? The Garda press office has not released a comment on the matter. There has been a growth in crime in rural areas. In Manorcunningham, where this occurred, a blind pensioner was recently robbed and there have also been robberies at a local chip shop and car dealership. It is alarming that there is no Garda patrol car in the area. We need to consider the lack of resources available to gardaí. We must not encourage criminals by slow Garda response time. Lack of resources allows criminals to get away with their crimes.

I welcome the Being Young and Irish event hosted by President Higgins in Áras an Uachtaráin yesterday. The President has sought submissions on this issue. Senator Mullins mentioned youth unemployment. I renew my call to the Leader for a discussion on youth unemployment, emigration and the wider area of youth policy. Yesterday's Financial Times reports, "In the hour it takes students at Trinity College to sit through a lecture, eight people leave Ireland in search of work." I renew my call for a discussion on youth unemployment and emigration.