Ollie Crowe (Fianna Fail)

I raise what is, unfortunately, becoming an increasing problem across Ireland, namely, damage to public property and public facilities such as playgrounds and community parks. This week, we have seen it in the form of arson at a playground in Coolock, where it is likely to take four to six months for the equipment to be replaced. Last month, newly installed toilets in St. Anne's Park, Raheny, north Dublin were destroyed by fire and a playground in the north inner city was damaged in an arson attack over the Hallowe'en weekend. In the previous month, there were arson attacks at playgrounds in Ringsend and Lucan. In my county of Galway, we have also had this vandalism in recent months, at the Milltown playground and at Barna sports park, for example.

Taxpayer money funds these facilities and it is clearly a multimillion euro problem at this point. That is without considering the valuable Garda and fire officer resources that are used when they have to attend such sites. It seems the perpetrators of these acts are carrying them out without concern of being caught or fear of any consequences, even if they were somehow caught. It is not acceptable for community facilities to be consistently and repeatedly damaged by a very small minority. We need a plan to crack down on this, whether it by is enhancing the level of CCTV security at such facilities or legislation to change the punishment for these acts, because the current situation is simply unsustainable. I ask the Leader to raise the matter with the relevant Ministers.

Before I finish, I will just say that it is younger looking he is getting. I wish Diarmuid a great day and a happy birthday.