Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I also welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, to the House. It is appropriate that he is dealing with this legislation, given his constituency and his proximity to north County Dublin and his intimate knowledge, going back to his days as a teacher, of how these communities have been affected by crime and criminality. Very decent people are fearful to live in their homes and frightened to go out onto the streets. It is unfortunate that as opposed to the situation improving, it has deteriorated with the particular feuding that is taking place in 2016 so far.

This is a necessary motion. It is an incremental step in the Government's programme to deal with crime and the criminals perpetrating it. In order to put these people behind bars, we as an Oireachtas need to stand in solidarity and in unity with the people. We need to send out a unanimous, clear message from this House and the Lower House that we are prepared to take on these people and that the Government and those on all sides of these Houses are not afraid to implement whatever legislation is necessary in order to make our streets safe again, and for the citizens who live in this city to feel like they can walk the streets without being terrified that they will either be involved in, or will witness, a shooting.

What has gone on in this city since Christmas, in particular, with shootings in broad daylight, captured on closed circuit television, is not good enough. We have to stand in solidarity with the people. The Minister, the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and other representatives, including fantastic hard-working councillors in the north inner city, all attended a meeting where they listened to the community, absorbed their fear and heard of their experience through the stories they told. They also heard the solutions that the people on the ground want, namely, resources, armed response units to be beefed up, and proper and appropriate interventions, and that is what is happening. That is what this motion is about.

I thank the Opposition members of the House for their very constructive support for this motion and the other legislative measures that have been brought in here in the past three or four weeks to deal with this appalling vista and scourge on decent hard-working people who are just trying to get on with their lives. They live in a city, which is a great city. We will ensure that we will deal with these individuals, and we will silence them and put them behind bars.That is what the people expect us to do and we will do it.