Maria McCormack (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for coming back to us. I welcome that he will look at sentencing. The family of Joe Drennan lives in my constituency. Joe Drennan was a 21-year-old fourth-year student in journalism who lost his life by someone with 46 previous convictions. I quote his dad in the court, who asked whether that person would not serve one day for killing his son. I would welcome the opportunity for the Minister to speak to this family. Overall, we need to look at concurrent sentences, and where a fatality is involved, sentences should not run concurrently.

Community safety is an issue that affects every town, village and rural community in Ireland. It is the right of every person to feel safe in their own home, in their streets, in their workplaces and in public areas. Yet, across the country, including in my county of Laois, too many people no longer feel that sense of security, whether it is businesses in Portlaoise facing vandalism, rural families experiencing home break-ins, or elderly residents in Portarlington who just this weekend have been in contact with me, afraid to open their doors at night. The message is clear. We must do more our communities safer.

While increased Garda numbers and resources are critical, policing alone is not the answer. We need to be proactive rather than reactive. This is where crime prevention through environmental design, CPTED, comes into play. It is a proven evidenced-based approach that reduces crime by designing safer workspaces. This is a resource that is not currently being utilised to its full ability. I have talked in detail to our crime prevention officer about this. It is a resource that could really make a difference in crime prevention, community safety and our community. It is not just about security cameras or stronger policing. It is about smart urban planning that makes crime harder to commit. It is about better street lighting to deter antisocial behaviour; well-maintained public spaces that promote community pride and reduce opportunities for criminal activity; natural surveillance through urban design, ensuring sightlines are clear so there are no hidden areas for crime to take place; and secure, accessible infrastructure, including proper pedestrian routes, well-lit carparks and safer residential layouts. We have seen successful examples of this across the world, where simply improving the built environment leads to significant reductions in crime and antisocial behaviour. Why are we not embedding this into our development plans in Ireland?

If we are serious about crime prevention, we must give communities the power and resources to design safer spaces. This means requiring all housing estates and public developments to integrate CPTED principles; investing for urban design for town centres, including safer public transport hubs, parks and pedestrian areas; and providing grants to community groups for local safety initiatives such as CCTV, improving lighting and crime deterrent programmes.

In Laois, we already have strong neighbourhood watch and community alert groups and we have excellent community policing, but there needs to be real funding and support. CPTED should be a key part of local government planning and strategies, ensuring safety is designed into the community rather than being an afterthought. For rural communities, crime prevention is often a challenge due to isolation and a lack of Garda presence. In places like Ballyroan and Stradbally, we hear of farms being targeted for theft, of illegal dumping and of people left feeling vulnerable. CPTED can play a role here too, with better road layouts, strategic lighting and CCTV in key rural areas. These measures, alongside strong Garda resources and rural crime task forces, can protect our vulnerable communities. In urban areas like Portlaoise, we must address drug-related crime and antisocial behaviour with a combination of policing, youth engagement and safer public spaces. We know that poorly designed urban areas contribute to crime. Abandoned buildings, poorly lit streets and neglected parks become hotspots for illegal activities. Revitalising these spaces can make them safer for all.

Community safety is not just about crime statistics; it is about the people. It is about the woman fleeing domestic violence who finds no available refuge bed. It is about the child in an area where gangs and drugs seem more accessible than opportunities. We need more investment in domestic abuse services, youth intervention and education programmes, and a national strategy on urban design and community. I would welcome all of these.