Rebecca Moynihan (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the confirmation by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage of €53 million funding for the urban regeneration fund, particularly within the south inner city. A number of the projects being funded today are ones I was involved in initiating as a city council member, namely the Liberties greening project, which followed on from a campaign I lead for Weaver Park and the identification of a lack of green spaces in Dublin 8 in comparison to other areas of the city.

The funding for the Dolphin's Barn community improvement scheme is also particularly welcome. My grandad moved to Dolphin's Barn in the 1950s and my family ran a shop there until the 2000s. I got the small amount of €10,000 through the discretionary fund in the city council to put together a plan to regenerate the village but there was no funding left to fund the plan we had put together. It has now almost four years since the consultation process involving residents and businesses in the area. I welcome that it is now being funded through the European Regional Development Fund, ERDF. I also welcome the developments in respect of Francis Street, Newmarket Street, Cork Street and Meath Street and the environmental improvement plans which we were involved in.

In light of the funding going into the urban regeneration fund, I ask that we consider guaranteeing multi-annual funding for the trial project based in St. Teresa's Gardens. The funding for this will run out in June 2021 with no guarantee of additional funding beyond that. Some 39 participants are involved. It is about early and intensive intervention for young people in that area who are likely to get involved in the drugs industry.

Last week a 17-year-old child was shot four times in an act of attempted murder. He was just a child. It shows the value of early intervention to try to stop young people in that area getting involved in drugs. I ask that the Minister for Health address the House and consider providing that project with multi-annual funding beyond 2021.

I second Senator Bacik's amendment to the Order of Business.