David Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Could the interruptions be made a little louder in the interests of those who are nearly 70? The first paragraph deals with an initiative from the United Kingdom and the Association of Town Centre Management which is very useful. I hope it will be adopted. I understand there is to be a pilot scheme in respect of which I would ask that the House be provided with further information on where it will operate. It appears it will be analogous to the green flag scheme which was promoted by An Taisce to raise environmental awareness. There is a clear relationship between the idea and structure of a green flag and purple flag scheme. It is a very good idea. I hope it works. It may encourage local communities to create the reality on the ground that our cities and towns are safe places to walk, after which the flags could be awarded. The important thing is the creation of those safe areas.

There has been exaggeration in respect of the situation in Dublin. I walk home almost every night from here via O'Connell Street back to North Great George's Street. I do not notice very much that is negative. Significant efforts and strides have been made in policing. There are those who use drugs. They are usually unfortunates and one can be forced to engage with them. Usually, that is just the interruption of a conversation which is irritating, but if one just goes on one's way, one may see something happening but may not be affected by people causing a nuisance. Nevertheless, the situation must be monitored. It is probably worse on the Liffey boardwalk. The boardwalk is a lovely development and it is a pity that it would be spoiled not just for our visitors but for ourselves.

The resolution refers to Garda transport, which is very important, but ordinary transport for people in rural areas must also be considered. I listened to people from two villages in the midlands whose bus services are being cut to one bus per day. It will make it extremely difficult to take advantage of employment opportunities in neighbouring towns. One cannot expect communities to do all this alone if they are deprived of services. They cannot make bricks without straw. We must examine carefully the provision of transport links in areas where they are uneconomical. There has been a great deal of comment on Mr. Danny Healy Rae's suggestion that people should be allowed to get boozed up because they live in the country, which is the wrong approach. We need, however, to do something about transport.

I will conclude on the issue of Garda station closures. The Minister referred to smart policing, which is not only a very patronising notion but patently false. It is like the appalling Danske Bank advertisement which notifies the withdrawal of human service and in a constipated voice-over states "welcome to the new normal". We need community policing but it is being eradicated. We need police stations and to be told the truth. I have been lied to consistently about Fitzgibbon Street Garda station and told that it was merely being redecorated. It did not need redecoration and in reality was being closed down. We have been told that everyone should welcome smart policing and other developments. I ask the Minister to explain why if everyone should welcome it, consumers, communities and the Garda itself do not welcome such developments. The soldiers on the ground - the people at the coal face - do not want it. The Minister should not patronise us by telling us this is smart policing as Danske Bank would. We do not buy it.