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Dáil
‹ An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business

Coolock crime response

Summary

Denise Mitchell and Thomas P. Broughan raised the drug feud and murders in Coolock and said promised garda resources had not materialised. Charles Flanagan said extra gardaí and staff were in place, more recruits were coming, and operations against organised crime would continue.

As the Taoiseach is aware, an ongoing drugs feud in the Coolock area has cost five lives. Last June, the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Flanagan, the Minister of State at the Department of Justice and Equality, Deputy Finian McGrath, and the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Deputy Bruton, all visited Coolock and announced that 30 new gardaí would be deployed in the area. There was also talk of a new Garda station. In response to a parliamentary question I submitted recently, however, I was told that the number of new gardaí allocated to Coolock was five. In the midst of a drug feud, we have been given an additional five gardaí. The people of Coolock have a right to feel safe when going about their daily business. When will they see the additional resources necessary to tackle this feud? I ask the Taoiseach to commit to setting up a task force similar to the one set up by his predecessor in Dublin's north inner city. Will he join with me in calling on elements within the media to stop giving these criminals nicknames such as the "Gucci gang" and to stop glamorising their lifestyles? We must do everything we can to stop vulnerable young people in the area getting involved in this criminal activity.

Comment on this
Pat the Cope Gallagher An Leas-Cheann Comhairle Fianna Fáil

Deputy Broughan, on the same issue.

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On the same subject, the Taoiseach and the Minister for Justice and Equality will be aware of the appalling murder that happened in Dublin Bay North at the weekend, which was the fifth such dastardly event this year. It is totally intolerable that the people of our parishes in Dublin Bay North are being subjected to this kind of lunacy and madness. The Minister promised that the Dublin metropolitan region, DMR, north division of An Garda Síochána would get the necessary resources. We were also promised that civic society bodies would get the support they need, as Deputy Mitchell has noted, in terms of a special task force and special supports for organisations like Northside Partnership, Coolock Development Council and others but this has not happened. We have a Fine Gael Minister and an Independent Minister of State from the constituency sitting at Cabinet but we are not getting the kind of response we need. We had a response to the mayhem on the Border area, which I support 100%, but we need to see the same kind of vigorous response in the north of Dublin Bay North. This cannot go on.

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I readily accept that communities have an entitlement to feel safe and secure. I visited the area during the summer and have been in contact with people in the area since then. I spoke to the Minister, Deputy Bruton, this morning. Currently there are 116 gardaí assigned to the Coolock area, together with 17 Garda staff. The Garda is enjoying record levels of resources under this Government, in terms of numbers.

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Coolock is not.

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The Taoiseach and I will be in Templemore on Friday next to oversee the graduation of a further 200 gardaí.

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We need prosecutions.

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Pat the Cope Gallagher An Leas-Cheann Comhairle Fianna Fáil

Allow the Minister, without interruption.

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If Members of the House listen to the news on a daily basis, they will hear the results of what is a relentless pursuit on the part of An Garda Síochána of those involved in organised crime and criminal activity. That will continue in the Coolock area, in the north inner city and in Darndale.

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I wish to raise an issue that I have highlighted previously, namely, the need for a catheterisation laboratory or cath lab at Sligo University Hospital to serve both Sligo and the north west. This has been a major concern for many years. It is vitally important that a decision is taken. I acknowledge that a review is currently taking place but this review has been ongoing for a considerable amount of time. It is important that the review is completed and that a decision is made on the provision of a cath lab for Sligo and the north west.

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Pat the Cope Gallagher An Leas-Cheann Comhairle Fianna Fáil

That question is specifically for the Minister for Health but perhaps the Taoiseach is in a position to answer it.

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Leo Varadkar The Taoiseach Fine Gael

I thank Deputy McLoughlin for raising an issue which I know is of enormous interest to him. It is my understanding that a temporary cath lab is located at Sligo University Hospital for a few days every month but not a full-time, permanent one. This falls under the national review. I am not sure when the report of that review is due but I will find out from the Minister for Health and revert to the Deputy.

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