Terry Brennan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I condemn the unprovoked attack in our capital city this week on a visiting English family. The man was attacked simply because he was smiling. We try to make our visitors smile, but he was attacked on O'Connell Street. Can one imagine the mentality of the people who would do that? My family suffered an attack on the same street over 20 years ago by half a dozen thugs who, thankfully, came out the wrong side of it. I am proud to say that. However, this is happening too often in our capital city. The attacker in the latest case was accompanied by a beggar, who was obviously begging for money and the visitor did not cough up. The visitor was attacked because he was smiling. I passed two beggars in two different parts of the city on my way here this morning. I cannot understand how it is allowed to continue on a daily and weekly basis. They stand or sit on the same streets. I was not attacked. I believe that there should be a greater Garda presence. One can see and identify these people. One is not expecting to be attacked but one can identify these beggars and thugs. It is also happening in many of our towns throughout the country. There is begging and attacks, particularly at weekends. It must be condemned outright.