I have raised the issue of serious public disorder and anti-social and criminal behaviour in districts of Dublin Bay North with the Minister for Justice and Equality several times since June. I was responding to great distress of constituents who sent me photographs and video recordings of cars being burnt out in broad daylight. I was told of appalling anti-social and criminal behaviour as up to five and six vehicles were recklessly driven around estates and then set on fire in nightly episodes often lasting until 6 a.m. This outrageous behaviour is incredibly dangerous, as homes were effectively blockaded by abandoned and burning vehicles and the lives of families and local children were put at risk.

Unfortunately, the initial response of An Garda Síochána in mid-summer was very slow due to what is widely perceived as a lack of resources, especially in community policing. Following urgent requests from community leaders, development bodies and local public representatives, a policing plan was finally implemented and resulted in a reduction in this crime. However, it persists, with several incidents each week. Communities are fearful that the forthcoming Hallowe'en festival will be used by alleged miscreants and ringleaders to set off another orgy of vandalism and burning of vehicles, with all the associated drink and drug-fuelled mayhem.

This sets a terrible example for children and teenagers in communities whose citizens have striven hard to create safe and secure neighbourhoods. This appalling anti-social behaviour is part of a general increase in such behaviour across Dublin Bay North and other constituencies. My office often receives reports of intimidation of families and households, widespread vandalism of public facilities, including DART and Irish Rail stations, unauthorised and dangerous use of quad vehicles and scrambler motorcycles in public parks, burglaries, a plague of graffiti and other nuisances. What action is the Minister for Justice and Equality taking to address this problem?

The Tánaiste, in her previous role as Minister for Justice and Equality, bears a major responsibility in this regard, having slashed Garda numbers, particularly in the area of community policing. Last year, for example, the number of gardaí in the R and J districts of Garda division DMR north stood at only 202 and 160, respectively. The J district alone has lost nearly 60 gardaí since 2010 and the economic crash, an issue discussed in the House a moment ago. The number of community gardaí was also substantially reduced during this period. When I contacted the current Minister for Justice and Equality in July, he stressed the importance of the Garda national model of community policing and indicated that new community policing teams would be introduced in each Garda district in accordance with the Garda Act 2005 and the Garda Inspectorate report of 2007. Many citizens will agree with former garda, Mr. Trevor Laffan, who wrote on thejournal.ie that "community policing no longer exists" as a result of the actions of the past two austerity Governments.

I have no doubt that the Tánaiste will refer to the plan to have 21,000 gardaí and other staff in place by 2021 and I obviously welcome this measure. However, what we need is the urgent roll-out of community policing teams in my constituency and other constituencies. Will the Government give a commitment to having community policing put back at the heart of the policing service and increasing the visibility of community gardaí?

What steps are being taken to apprehend the ringleaders involved in the appalling anti-social behaviour I have described, to caution them, to link them with juvenile liaison officers and, if necessary, to prosecute them? What is being done to identify and prosecute adults selling or transferring cars and other vehicles to children? Legislation I introduced in this area some 15 years ago on behalf of the Labour Party remains the law of the land. However, it appears that it is not being implemented because the supply of vehicles to children has not been stopped. Urgent action is needed.

We all recognise that the types of incidents and anti-social behaviour the Deputy describes are extremely disturbing for communities and create great dangers for citizens, whether in parks or on our streets. To ensure that we have the visible policing presence we need, this Government and that which preceded it have ensured the recruitment of new gardaí. The Deputy's statement that this Government or that which preceded it cut back on Garda numbers is incorrect; the opposite is the case. Budget 2018 provides for the recruitment of 800 additional gardaí and 500 civilians to fill critical skills gaps across An Garda Síochána and to ensure that gardaí move from administrative work into front-line duties in order that the very behaviour about which the Deputy spoke can be dealt with.

As far as other initiatives are concerned, deterrents must be in place and sentencing must reflect the seriousness of the crime. It was for this reason that we introduced legislation which ensures that people who are involved in, for example, robberies serve consecutive sentences. This has been a very important deterrent.

In terms of the behaviour the Deputy outlined, Garda liaison teams and community gardaí are doing excellent work in identifying and focusing on persistent offenders. These offenders must serve time in jail and we must work with communities to identify the areas and locations where persistent anti-social behaviour takes place. In cases where the Garda has done this, changes and improvements have been made. If the Deputy provides details of the area to which he referred, I will ask the Minister for Justice and Equality to ensure that the matter is examined in detail.

While I note the Tánaiste's comments about the plans in place for the period up to 2021, it is a simple fact that this Government and the two previous Administrations allowed community policing to wither. Other stakeholders, specifically Dublin City Council, need to be mobilised. Dublin City Council management has a very poor estate management record for its 26,000 or 27,000 housing units. The Government and its predecessors cut resources to the council and other councils, including Fingal County Council, which covers some of the area I represent. This has made it very difficult to deliver front-line services.

One of the largest new urban districts in the country is being expanded on the border of Dublin Bay North and Dublin Fingal. On behalf of many local community bodies and representatives, I asked the previous Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, Deputy Coveney, to carry out an audit of social infrastructure in the area, including community, education, health, child care, recreation and commercial facilities, all of which are seriously lacking. He refused point-blank to do so. I ask that the current Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, take up this challenge. The Minister for Rural and Community Development, Deputy Ring, also faces a challenge in that many community bodies argue that new regulatory structures are making it extremely difficult to deliver the types of services that have been delivered very well in the past 20 years. Put another way, excessive bureaucracy means that we seem to have gone from one extreme to the other.

The Deputy must conclude.

I welcome the youth employment support scheme announced by the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Deputy Regina Doherty, especially as 700 young people aged under 25 years of age are signing on in my constituency.

The Deputy is taking advantage.

As I stated, the Hallowe'en festival often lasts for several weeks in parts of my constituency. I urge the Government to ensure that families and communities are completely safe during this period and that we have the numbers of community gardaí we need.

The Deputy is normally very orderly.

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle. He is very kind.

We all know the pressure our emergency services face during the Hallowe'en period. I can only agree with the Deputy that we should urge people to engage in safe behaviour and get involved in the many activities local councils across Dublin are organising to ensure we do not have the types of dangerous incidents that have resulted in many children ending up in Temple Street and Crumlin children's hospitals in recent years.

The Government has shown its intentions regarding the investment we need in infrastructure. We will shortly publish the national investment programme for infrastructure.

The model used in the north inner city, which involves bringing together communities and their representatives and developing services, must be replicated across the country.