Aubrey McCarthy (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State, and the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, for being here and I wish them both well in their new roles. I also extend my gratitude to the Leader of the House for organising this important discussion, which allows us the opportunity to engage on a matter that affects every citizen in Ireland. It is fair to say that the issue of safety in Ireland is changing. Listening to other Senators, our growing population has brought new challenges and, unfortunately, we have seen a serious and worrying rise in crime.Over the past two weeks alone we have seen two deeply concerning knife attacks in the Dublin city centre area. I am also reminded of the incident on Pearse Street with the American tourist, and all of the arson attacks I mentioned in my home town of Naas, one in particular, Rathasker Stud. These acts of violence have left communities shaken and raised urgent questions about how we can better protect people in public spaces.

Crime is not only happening on our streets, but it is also happening online. Today's newspapers showed the situation of Róisín Gillen from Donegal, who innocently answered a text from what was she thought was Energia, but was a scam text and her savings were cleared out.

Every day, more and more people are falling victim to scam text messages and fraudulent emails. These digital crimes exploit the trust of our citizens, particularly the elderly and the most vulnerable. Many people are simply not used to this new wave of cyber criminals and we have to act swiftly to educate and protect them. The Government, in collaboration with tech companies, must do more to stop these scams at their source.

I want to share a personal story about an organisation I am involved with that underscores the reality of these challenge. The Lighthouse on Pearse Street is a homeless restaurant where we serve up to 500 people a day. We recently faced a terrifying ordeal ourselves. One evening, due to a credible threat to fire bomb the building, we were told we had to move people from the front of the building to the back of the building. The people who were there had to move to the back of the building to ensure their safety. This is not the kind of society that any of us want to live in. Vulnerable people who come in to us are seeking a warm meal, safety and shelter. They should not be in fear of their lives.

This is a stark reminder that community safety extends beyond law enforcement. It is about protecting those who have nowhere else to turn. That is why initiatives, such as one I recently launched, the Drug Related Intimidation and Violence Engagement, Drive, initiative, are essential.

I welcome the Minister for Justice's initiative to encourage more people to join An Garda Síochána. We all have a role to play in supporting law enforcement. However, we must also address the broader issues. Why are people hesitant to join the Garda? As one Senator asked, is it about staffing? Is it about pay? Is it about morale, resources or safety on the job itself? These are critical questions that need answers if we are to build a stronger, more resilient police force.

We cannot afford to be reactive regarding community safety; we must be proactive. We need stronger legislative action on violent crime, better support for victims, and a renewed focus on community policing. We must continue this work until Ireland is a place where everyone can walk their streets and live their lives without fear.