Last week in this Chamber I was critical of the Minister for Justice and Equality in terms of the inability of Senators to get an adequate debate on Garda resources and the responsibility of the Minister for Justice and Equality over An Garda Síochána as a result of a number of incidents that happened on the north side of Dublin.

I cited the issue of a pipe bomb in Edenmore and the upsurge in anti-social behaviour. Since I made that contribution last week, we have had a fatal shooting in Darndale. In his response to my request for a debate with the Minister for Justice and Equality, I appreciate the Leader was minded to do that. I want to get an assurance from him that he will see to that request.

I have expressed my frustration at an inability to get further than the suggestion that the Minister has no responsibility for operational matters in An Garda Síochána. I encourage the Leader to arrange such a debate in the House and to see how we can work together to ensure that people in communities across the city, northside, southside, outside Dublin and across the country, can feel safe and secure. It is not normal for somebody to be shot dead at 6.30 a.m. and then for children in that community to go to school as if it is something perfectly normal and for it not to feature that heavily in the news cycle of that day. When an incident occurs where somebody gets shot dead at 6.30 a.m. and it does not rock the foundations of these Houses, then something has gone very badly wrong. I suggest, respectfully, and perhaps I was not respectful last week-----

That is for sure.

-----that we would have a debate in this House with the Minister for Justice and Equality on the issue of crime, criminality, anti-social behaviour and fatal shootings.