Speech by Joan Burton TD on the issue of criminal events in Dublin West.
I thank the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform for coming into the House this evening. I challenge him to show some sense of ministerial responsibility for the crisis in policing which is engulfing communities in Dublin 15 and other parts of Dublin West.
I want to highlight three recent examples of criminal events in Dublin West. The first is the shooting dead of a man in a pub in Corduff in front of drinkers. The second is the vicious assault on a young teacher at his home in Castlecurragh in Dublin 15 during an attempted car robbery and the third is the armed hijacking of a car from the front door of a female health worker as she returned to her home in Dublin 15.
This is an ordinary time in Dublin West. Many families are left devastated, while young thugs ride high on a sense of impunity as they believe themselves to be the untouchables. Despite repeated requests to the Minister for a dedicated community policing force in Dublin 15 and other similar neighbourhoods, nothing has happened. Every time we get community police, they are withdrawn a few months later as they must check cattle. Given the huge population growth in the area and the fact that thousands of new homes are being built, crime is exploding and taxpaying citizens, who are trying to get on with their lives, feel under threat.
During the summer I was advised by Fingal county manager, Mr. William Soffe, of the type of anti-social and criminal behaviour being experienced by residents of two new estates in Castlecurragh and Blanchardstown Heath. It included windows being broken by youths and children throwing stones, drinking in private rear gardens without the owners’ permission, verbal abuse and harassment, urinating in apartment doorways and sitting on apartment window ledges, burning of wheelie bins, damaged cars and other property, theft and joyriding. The county manager said that the council and the residents had reported these complaints to local gardaí. It is interesting to note that some complainants who called the gardaí for assistance were advised that they were powerless to act and that it was a matter for the council to resolve, given the location of the anti-social element. The council, as part of its response, has arranged stone picking expeditions at regular intervals to remove potential ammunition from the area. If that is the only thing the people of Dublin 15 can rely on for protection, it is small wonder that many people now believe the Minister, who was once so vocal, should give some consideration to resigning his position.
[Ms Burton]
The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform famously used to talk about the nurse married to the garda and how important it was that they could afford a home. By working all the hours God sends the couple can just about afford a home under this Government, but what they cannot get from the Government is the type of policing service to which they are entitled as taxpayers. A dedicated local community police force, giving the thugs no breathing space, is the key to successful local policing worldwide and is enabling people to reclaim the streets and the estates for decent, law-abiding citizens. The Minister knows this, but he chooses to ignore it. As long ago as last February I asked the Minister for complete details of community policing numbers in Dublin Garda stations and total active policing numbers in these stations. I am still waiting for his reply.
Other measures to combat violence and anti-social behaviour include investment in education and the community. Preventing young boys, especially, from dropping out of school early by providing community-based education and alternatives to formal second level education is critical for reducing anti-social behaviour. Community employment schemes, which provide local facilities in clubs and sports for children, are also important. Needless to say, these are precisely the areas the Government has decided to damage with budgetary cutbacks.
The drugs problem in Dublin 15 has significantly worsened in recent times, with cocaine use spiralling upwards rapidly. This is in contrast to the dinner parties in Ranelagh mentioned by one prominent television commentator. According to local gardaí, many young people are now taking a lethal combination of cocaine and alcohol, which can lead to devastating consequences. It can result in feelings of paranoia and aggression and is a key contributory factor in late-night street violence. The challenge to the Minister and his Government is to manage Garda resources so that communities can rebuild some confidence in policing. The Minister has not so far lived up to that challenge.
Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. McDowell):
I thank Deputy Burton for raising this matter. As I made clear earlier today in response to Private Notice Questions on a separate matter, the message that must go out from this House and all the parties in it is that no one is beyond the reach of the law and that whatever must be done to bring offenders to justice will be done.
The Deputy will be conscious that much of what she has said this evening could not have been anticipated by reference to the issue of which she gave notice. Therefore, I can only deal with some of the issues she mentioned.
Ms Burton: The issues were listed in detail.
Mr. McDowell: The Deputy’s question was about three particular incidents. Those incidents are deeply disturbing and each of them is very serious from the point of view of the community and also of the victim. I am glad the Deputy has mentioned this form of criminal behaviour in the House. The shooting dead of a man in a pub is an example of an aspect of gang-related crime which is hugely threatening to our society. I also accept the Deputy’s point that the armed hijacking of a car from a female householder is probably a manifestation of the same problem. Similarly, the outrageous attack on the young teacher who tried to protect his own property outside his house is something which cannot be countenanced in any circumstances.
The Deputy goes on to say that these incidents require a new approach. I have been informed by the Garda authorities that the investigation of the murder mentioned by the Deputy is at an advanced stage. I must reiterate the point I made earlier today: the fact that somebody has not been arrested and charged does not mean the Garda is not doing anything. In order to sustain the case it is not sufficient to have a good idea of who was involved. There must be admissible evidence before one can charge a person with an offence such as this. Six people have been arrested and questioned about the assault case mentioned by the Deputy and a file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions. The Garda has done its job in this case. The hijacking incident to which the Deputy referred is also under keen investigation.
I caution all Deputies that speculation in this House about any crime or the state of the Garda investigation thereof is somewhat risky in that it can prejudice the successful outcome of the prosecution of the case if it comes before a court. I cannot comment in detail about the three incidents mentioned by the Deputy in her request for an Adjournment debate. However, the suggestion that nothing is happening, that the gardaí are doing nothing and have no idea what is going on—–
Ms Burton: We have no community police in Dublin 15.
Mr. McDowell: That is a different point.
Ms Burton: It is the core of the reason for these incidents.
Mr. McDowell: The Deputy is now talking about the absence of community policing. It is wrong to suggest that because one has not read of a trial pending, the gardaí are not doing their job. They are doing their job in the case of the three incidents the Deputy has raised.
I announced last night that I intended, in light of recent events, to review the adequacy of legislative provisions, resource allocations and administrative practice to find out what changes are required to deal with the emergence of gang-related crime and its interaction with the criminal justice system. I ask every Deputy in this House to participate in this exercise and come forward with his or her ideas. The Deputy has constantly mentioned and put down questions about community policing. However, it seems to mean different things at different times. Some people think of community policing as the community garda, but I do not think the Deputy has that view. She is talking about policing of the community by the local police force. I do not know what distinctions she is drawing between that form of policing and what is going on at the moment.
Ms Burton: We have no gardaí on the beat regularly in crime-ridden estates in Dublin west. It would be helpful if I could elaborate.
Mr. McDowell: Now we have it. The Deputy is talking about gardaí on the beat. However, we are dealing with armed and homicidal gangs. The answer is not to put more gardaí wandering around estates in the Deputy’s constituency. It is deluding the people—–
Ms Burton: Community gardaí do not wander around estates. If the Minister knew anything about community policing he would know that.
An Leas-Cheann Comhairle: We must adjourn the Dáil – the time is up. Please allow the Minister to conclude.
Ms Burton: Community gardaí do not wander. They do a really good job if they are allowed to get on with it.
Mr. McDowell: I did not interrupt the Deputy. I am saying that different forms of crime require different responses. To say that the answer to all these problems, including murders in pubs, is to have more gardaí on the beat is to reduce this to a ridiculous lowest-common-denominator debate. It is simply not the case.
Ms Burton: It is one of the critical factors.
Mr. McDowell: No, it is not.
Ms Burton: The Minister should go to New York and see what is happening there.
An Leas-Cheann Comhairle: The Minister should conclude.
Mr. McDowell: The gardaí are doing a good job. They are doing their level best to combat all incidences of crime. Many of the matters to which the Deputy referred also involve the community. The Deputy should remember that stones are not being thrown through windows by organised criminals. They are being thrown by unsupervised children. Parents must respect their obligations to society. One cannot simply say to the gardaí that it is their duty in every community to sort out every aspect of delinquency.
Ms Burton: I thought Deputy O’Dea was sorting that out.
Mr. McDowell: If the Deputy wants to reduce this to abuse, that is fair enough. She put down a series of questions about community policing. I will quite happily arrange for a meeting between her and Garda management so that she can explain exactly what she wants and what she does not want, what she thinks community policing is and what it is not. Then we will see whether it is a proper response to homicides in pubs, hijackings of cars and beatings of people whose cars are being stolen.