Emer Currie (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will make just one very basic point. I completely agree that the increase in antisocial behaviour we are seeing in communities cannot be tackled by policing alone. However, policing is a very important pillar. We are seeing things in Dublin 15 such as playgrounds and other public property being damaged and increased levels of drug taking in public and family areas. It is happening across the board in all communities. It is brilliant we have targeted supports. The youth diversion projects and local community safety partnerships are fantastic, but we also need to invest in our general services. I particularly want to talk about the importance of youth work. I come from a community in Tyrone where there was access to a youth club. Not every child is going to be part of a sports club. There are kids who are interested in politics, activism, technology or music. The youth club is a place for such kids to flourish. It is a key point that we have to invest more in our general youth services.