John Whelan (Labour)

I have been here well over a year and I just found out that one can accumulate one's time and let the meter run up in order to get a better run at things.

I support the issue raised by Senator John Kelly this morning. I also support Senator Marie-Louise O'Donnell who made a potent if brief speech yesterday in the presence of the Taoiseach on how we have abandoned and surrendered control of our main street in the capital city. We must be honest: it is not safe to walk on O'Connell Street in broad daylight. I use the Luas to travel from Heuston and I have been accosted and intimidated on mornings and evenings. I have witnessed racial attacks on the tram. I call on the Leader to invite the Minister for Justice and Equality to come here in the autumn to explain policing policy. I know that resources are short and small Garda stations may have to be closed, but we do not have enough gardaí on the beat. It is as simple as that. We have no Garda visibility, and it is not just an urban problem. In the village of Clonbullogue, there were 50 house break-ins in one week and one house was burgled three times. People are not safe in their homes. There are community alert and neighbourhood watch schemes, but they are no substitute for having gardaí out and about. When the Minister comes here he must outline a policing policy that will get gardaí back on the streets and visible again. There is something radically wrong with our policing policy when one cannot walk the main street of the capital city in broad daylight.