Emer Currie (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I wish the best of luck to the Leader. I congratulate everyone who was elected over the weekend, particularly in the Dublin West constituency, where we had Councillor Ted Leddy, Councillor Siobhán Shovlin, Councillor Kieran Dennison, Councillor Colm O’Rourke and the new councillor, Ms Gayle Ralph. However, Mr. Steve O’Reilly, who only had three months to campaign, just missed out for us in Blanchardstown-Mulhuddart. I hope that he will be staying on the scene and be back in a few years’ time.

On a different note, I wish to discuss another knife crime incident in Ongar, Dublin West, two days ago. It happened at nearly the exact same place where an innocent man was murdered a year ago in a knife crime. This is an issue that the Government is taking seriously and there are plans to increase maximum sentences from five years to seven. There are also plans in respect of the importation of knives. However, we know that it cannot just be a top-down strategy. That is why the community safety partnerships are so important. I am critical of anyone who delays the implementation of these partnerships in communities that desperately need them. This is the future of community safety. It is not enough that the matter be policed. We have to involve people who are invested in their communities, we have to work with young people and we have to take an holistic approach to facilities, services and vulnerable people in our communities. Of course, we have to consider Garda resources. We have seen an increase in Dublin, which is to be welcomed, but the K district is one of the busiest in the whole of the country. We need investment in our community gardaí and core units. I seek an update on community safety partnerships and ask that everyone in the House get behind them and think outside the box when it comes to community safety policies and strategies.