It is clear that the Government intends to continue in this term exactly as it did in the last. Fianna Fáil stands indicted for giving the Government an opportunity to do this once again. Despite protestations to the contrary the Government clearly intends to ignore the real life crises faced by many people, just as it did before. The Government's responses to the crisis in our health services and the housing crisis, to deficiencies in An Garda Síochána, to the NAMA scandal and to the plight of rural Ireland are exactly the same as they were for the last five years. First of all the Government denies there is a problem and then it announces half measures wrapped up in fine rhetoric. Yesterday’s announcement of measures to tackle organised crime is a good example. These modest measures, while welcome, do not go far enough. Following the Regency Hotel murder, the Government line was that Garda resources were not an issue when it comes to tackling organised crime. The task force announced yesterday would be welcome if it meant additional and extra resources, but does it? In north inner city Dublin there are 140 fewer gardaí than in 2010. Unless there is an increase in Garda numbers this task force will be made up of gardaí brought off the front line elsewhere. This lack of resources is not an accident and is not unique to Dublin. It is an issue right across the State. It is a direct result of the policies of this Government and of Fianna Fáil before it and needs to be totally reversed. Will the Taoiseach indicate to the Dáil when the new measures announced will be in place and will there be additional gardaí and funding?

First of all Deputy Adams let fly at Fianna Fáil, then he mentioned health, housing, rural Ireland and An Garda Síochána so I am not sure if the Deputy expects me deal with all four topics in the very short time I have here.

Just answer the questions I asked.

The Deputy only asked one question.

I could put them to you again.

There is no need.

The Deputy mentioned health, housing, rural Ireland and the Garda situation. Five years ago we inherited a situation where there was not any money, Garda recruitment had come to an end and Templemore was closed. There has been this festering situation in north inner city Dublin and in other locations around the country for quite some time. Government began to put resources, where possible, into the security forces in both Defence and the Garda. Templemore was reopened and began to recruit gardaí. In our programme for Government we set out an increase of recruitment through Templemore to have a real increase in Garda numbers to 15,000 and to cater for vacancies created by those gardaí who have retired on age grounds.

We have made it perfectly clear on many occasions that whatever the request made by the Garda Commissioner or the Garda authorities for dealing with gangland crime, those resources would be provided. One can only do that with a strong economy and that is why it is important for the management of the public economy be kept very clearly in sight. We discussed this at Cabinet having met with the Garda Commissioner and senior Garda personnel last week. The Criminal Assets Bureau, CAB, made a specific request that the threshold which applies under the Proceeds of Crime Act 1996 should be reduced from €13,000 to €5,000 and we are going to do that. By way of regulation, the Government decided on the advice of the Criminal Assets Bureau to reduce the prescribed sum under which cash suspected to have been the proceeds of crime can be seized from €6,500 to €1,000 under section 38 of the Criminal Justice Act. Further proposals will go to Government to enhance and update legislation for the lawful interception of communications in respect of criminal activities.

Last week I said this matter goes beyond mere party politics. It affects the lives of innocent people and we understand the fear and pressure that these communities are under. The Garda will have the task force on crime for all of Dublin. We are going to respond with a task force for the north inner city. I expect to have consultations with Deputy Adams and Members of different parties who might have ideas about that and then go and talk to the community leaders and public representatives in the north inner city to look at the social disadvantage, the unfairness and lack of facilities in those areas for very many years. I am glad to see that the new primary care centre is about to commence in Summerhill and have a sod turned very shortly. However, it needs so much more because this is not something that can be dealt with overnight. There is a much longer term requirement for initiative and investment. Consultation and working with these communities, where very good people are committed to giving the children of the localities a life of opportunity, is needed. This means that whatever Garda resources are required, on the advice of the Garda Commissioner, will be provided. The Government has made that money available and is following through with these actions which will not of themselves put an end to this but they will help the Garda authorities, the gardaí on the ground and the communities to come to grips with this scourge.

It is good news that the Taoiseach has discovered there are problems in some of our communities caused by criminal gangs and I am sure the people who are victimised by these gangs are delighted the Taoiseach has this new knowledge. I asked three questions. When will the measures announced yesterday be put in place? Will there be additional gardaí? Will there be additional funding? The Taoiseach did not answer any of the questions. It is crucial that additional gardaí are on the ground and that An Garda Síochána is resourced properly. However, this is not just a policing matter. There is a need for increased investment in education, job provision, drug treatment and crime prevention. Local communities are up for this challenge. Many have battled for their kids for generations against Government indifference and now the Government has discovered there are disadvantaged communities within earshot of the Dáil. The Government now needs to deliver, go beyond the rhetoric and put real measures in place. Last week I asked that a task force involving local communities be put in place, Government led but with full involvement of local activists and local people to carry out a comprehensive, multi-agency strategic plan for DubIin’s north inner city. When will this be put in place, how will it be resourced and what funding will be provided? I remind the Ceann Comhairle that the Taoiseach has not answered my original three questions.

Let me reflect again for the Deputy. We already had the capacity to reopen the Garda College in Templemore to train new gardaí and dispense them around the country. The Government has decided to increase the Garda force to 15,000, but we cannot do this without a strong economy or providing proper training for young gardaí. As the Deputy will have known within the past few days, probationary gardaí are supervised in their training; therefore, we do not have situations which arose in the past when that was not the case. An extra €5 million has been provided to deal with the request from the Garda Commissioner in terms of the labour intensity of surveillance, dealing with gangland crime, interventions and the prevention of shootings or attempts to kill people. This is something with which the Garda force, in particular the Garda intelligence unit, has been dealing for quite some time. I accept that it is necessary for government as a whole to work with communities such as those in the north inner city to give them some chance and have a real opportunity. We would not be able to do this if we did not have resources in the economy to make some impact. In the past we have been blamed for being too focused on the economy. Believe me - we will go there, but we have to know how to link all of the agencies together, what the purpose of the north inner city task force is, what resources are required and what it is the leaders in these communities want.

There are more questions than answers.

Public representatives of all parties and none will have a voice. If it is to be a whole-of-government response, it should be so. It is not only this party or the Government that wants to deal with this. It is about the people. Those in the north inner city are good people and should have the same opportunities as anyone else to live their lives in the way they want.