Niall Collins
Limerick County · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“We believe that EU membership is about being aware of the advantages of membership and making sure these are understood by the public. We want to encourage the Irish public to participate in that national conversation.”
“On behalf of the Minister for Transport, I thank the Deputies for raising these important issues. On 1 April, the Road Traffic Control of Certain Vehicles Regulations 2026, known as Grace's law in memory of Grace Lynch, were signed into law.”
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“The strategy, A Career for EU, aims to improve Irish participation and success rates in EU recruitment processes for institutions such as the European Commission, the European Parliament and over 50 EU agencies.”
“They already benefit from significant Exchequer-funded rent supports through the housing assistance payment or rental accommodation scheme and, critically, must comply fully with the housing standards for rental houses regulations.”
“The timetable for implementation of all new and enhanced services is subject to funding, operational readiness and capacity. The public transport sector is currently experiencing a significant workforce shortage, particularly among drivers and mechanics.”
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“Funding for youth diversion projects and other youth justice measures has increased substantially in recent years, doubling from €18 million in 2020 to a total allocation of just over €36 million in budget 2025. This is supporting an increase in the availability of youth diversion project services in the evenings and at the weekends when many young people need these services. It will facilitate an increase in supports for families, interventions for disadvantaged young people and early interventions for eight- to 11-year-olds who may be at increased risk of becoming engaged in criminal activity. There are 93 YDPs available throughout the State and a further two have been established and are due to be up and running in north Tipperary and east Clare later this year .”
“I assure the Deputy that the Government is committed to improving outcomes for young people at risk of a life of criminality through investment in youth justice services. Our commitment is clearly outlined by our youth justice strategy. A top priority of the strategy is the expansion and deepening of the services offered to young people by youth diversion projects. These projects are community-based, multi-agency crime prevention initiatives which seek to divert young people who have become involved in crime or antisocial behaviour and to support wider preventative work within the community and with families at risk. They are funded by our Department under the youth justice strategy and run by community-based organisations. On average, the projects engage with about 4,000 young people across the State in any one year.”
“The Deputy is right about the issue he has raised. It is something I and the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, and indeed the Department, are aware of. It is my understanding that a submission is being made to the Department on that and it will be given due consideration. We do recognise it absolutely as a serious issue.”
“I will revert to the Deputy on the commencements. Our intention is to ensure that the new family law courts are sufficiently funded. The Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, is very conscious of the need to resource the new family law courts system and we are committed to ensuring that it is properly funded to deliver meaningful reform. In budget 2025, the Department of Justice allocated an additional €11 million to the Courts Service, €3 million of which is earmarked for the children's court advocate project, which will support children in their journeys through private family law proceedings and provide information ensuring that their voice is heard.”
“As regards the specialisation, which the Deputy queried, the Family Courts Act provides for the new positions of principal judges of the family high court, the family circuit court and the family district court to be created as specific assignments. The principal judge of each of the family court divisions will manage the business of each of those divisions.”
“As regards judicial resourcing, the Judicial Planning Working Group was established in 2021 in line with the previous programme for Government and submitted its report in February 2023. This led to the appointment of 24 additional judges in 2023 and Government approval for the appointment of an additional 20 judges in October 2024. The Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, intends to request the Judicial Appointments Commission to initiate the selection processes for these judges later this year. Taken together, these two sets of appointments represent an increase of approximately 25% in the number of judges in Ireland.”
“This has included an interactive workshop at the recent Family Justice Development Forum, which provided an opportunity to gain further insight into the perspectives of a broad range of family justice stakeholders on the development of an implementation plan. Alongside this work, preparations are in train for the construction of a purpose-built family law court complex on Hammond Lane, in Dublin.”
“Importantly, the Act contains a set of guiding principles for the family court system, making the best interests of the child a primary consideration in the conduct of all family law proceedings, operating in an efficient and user-friendly manner and encouraging active case management by the courts. As committed to in the programme for Government, the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, intends to publish an implementation plan for a new family court system by the end of January 2026. He has established an implementation team within the Department which is currently concluding a period of initial stakeholder engagement.”
“One will assist families to resolve their family justice issues in as straightforward a manner as possible. The Family Courts Act 2024, which was passed in both Houses of the Oireachtas last November, is a key component of the strategy. The legislation provides for the establishment of family court divisions within the existing court structures: a family high court, a family circuit court, and a family district court. Judges who have specialist training or experience in dealing with family law matters will be assigned to the family courts divisions on a full-time basis.”
“I, too, express my sincere sympathies and condolences to the family of Garda Kevin Flatley on the truly horrific circumstances of his passing. I attended Henry Street Garda station in Limerick earlier on this week to sign the book of condolences and spoke to the Garda chief subsequently to convey our feelings and thoughts to his colleague and the Garda community up and down the country. I thank the Deputy for his question. The Department is leading an ambitious programme of reform outlined in the first family justice strategy, which sets out a vision for a system refocused on the needs and rights of children, who are central to many family justice matters. The implementation of more than 50 actions across nine goals contained in the strategy will lay the foundation for this reformed system.”
“We must continue to focus on working with children already involved in crime and antisocial behaviour or who are at risk of being groomed by criminal gangs so that we can pull them back and give them a better pathway in life. I assure the House we will continue to strive to improve the quality of these children's lives and the lives of everyone in their communities in line with our youth justice strategy. I thank the Cathaoirleach and all Senators for their contributions to this debate. As the Minister of State, I look forward to further engagement with them on this matter.”
“It highlights the great work by An Garda Síochána and the Criminal Assets Bureau in identifying and seizing these ill-gotten gains. It puts that money back into local communities for the benefit and support of those who need it most. We have seen incredible work by people throughout the country to improve the lives of our young people. It is a reflection that when it comes to our young people, it truly takes a village. Every young person deserves the opportunity to improve their quality of life. They deserve to have choices and to be enabled to make better life decisions. However, we cannot afford to be complacent. Too many children with complex backgrounds and needs still come to Garda attention.”
“These staff are engaging directly with local authorities and other stakeholders to support the establishment of the partnerships. These tailored approaches to community safety will address the specific needs of our young people, ensuring no one is left behind. By doing so, we will strengthen the fabric of our society and create a more inclusive environment where every young person has the chance to thrive. The community safety fund run by the Department also plays a central role in supporting our communities. The fund was established in 2021 to reinvest money seized from the proceeds of crime in new innovative community safety projects, a number of which focus on youth justice and supporting young people in the community.”
“The plans will assign ownership to the appropriate State body to address each concern, whether it be additional street cleaning, better public lighting by the local authority or increased Garda engagement in a particular area. Nobody understands the needs of a community better than the community itself, and these partnerships will complement the work of our youth diversion projects in providing accessible services that young people want to engage with. The Act also provides for a national office for community safety, and a function of this office is to provide training, guidance and support to these partnerships. In preparation for the establishment of the national office, a number of staff, including a director designate, have been appointed.”
“Youth diversion not only helps the young person but also helps to make our communities safer by reducing the types of offending that can make people feel unsafe. More broadly, the Government is introducing a new approach to help communities put solutions in place to deal with their own specific safety concerns. The Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, recently commenced the landmark Policing, Security and Community Safety Act, which will provide for the establishment of local community safety partnerships throughout the country. These partnerships will bring together local stakeholders with Government agencies and An Garda Síochána to create a community safety plan tailored to their needs.”
“I know everyone in this House values the role of An Garda Síochána in positively influencing the lives of young people, particularly community gardaí, who do incredible work throughout the country by engaging meaningfully with young people to develop and foster positive relationships and promote personal and community safety. Whether it is running late-night soccer leagues for young people in Dublin's inner city, visiting local schools or just being a visible and approachable figure in the community, the impact of community gardaí is immeasurable. I also want to commend the work of our Garda juvenile liaison officers, who are present in every Garda division in the country and have a central role working with young people throughout the youth diversion programme.”
“Where An Garda Síochána directs that a restorative caution be administered, this is an opportunity for a child’s behaviour to be addressed in a way that holds the child accountable while ensuring the victim experiences validation and recognition for the harm. By validating the victim’s experience and by reintegrating the child back into their community, restorative justice is associated with more positive outcomes for the victim and better outcomes for the offender, with a lower risk of reoffending. The restorative caution was utilised in almost 300 referrals to the youth diversion programme by An Garda Síochána in 2024.”
“This has included, during the development of the current youth justice strategy, examination of all recommendations on youth justice issues that have been raised in previous reports or in discussions with relevant stakeholders. It is important that the victims' voices are heard, and we know that where children are the offenders, victims very often want to be heard, to hear remorse and to be assured it will not happen again. Restorative justice is embedded in the work of our juvenile liaison officers and the youth diversion project staff. The Children Act provides for the presence of a victim at a formal caution, where the young person accepts responsibility for their offending behaviour.”
“I compliment the manager there, Richie Bowens, Kirsty Boucher and their team and, of course, An Garda Síochána Superintendent Michael Fleming and his team, who do outstanding work, along with their juvenile liaison officers. I mentioned the Children Act, and I reiterate that that Act requires all child offenders to be considered for diversion, with prosecution only for serious offences or prolific reoffending. The most serious offences are subject to a formal criminal investigation and are referred to the DPP, but it is important that each child is assessed and each case considered on its merits. The youth justice strategy is now reaching its midway point. The operation of the Garda youth diversion programme is kept under constant review by An Garda Síochána and our own Department of Justice.”
“Today, for example, I visited County Laois and I met with the team in Foróige in Portlaoise who offer and roll out the youth diversion project in the county. I heard of the very positive contribution they are making to their local community. Tomorrow, I will be in Clonmel and will meet the team there. The very first youth diversion project I met was in my own constituency back last February when I was appointed to this job. I was delighted to visit the town of Rathkeale, which was mentioned earlier, where we relaunched a newly merged and expanded youth diversion project for County Limerick which I, as a representative for the area, know is doing immense work in the communities right across west Limerick and further afield.”
“The idea is that we will map the availability of current services in each of these areas, map the target group of young people in the area, identify the gaps in necessary services and bring all relevant statutory and voluntary services together to provide a joint response to the need and challenges of families in that particular area. I have spoken at length about the benefits of youth diversion and youth diversion projects and I want to stress and reiterate to Members that diversion is not about people avoiding punishment or consequences. I alluded earlier to the fact that we now have 93 youth diversion projects spanning the country which now gives us 100% nationwide coverage, which is really important.”
“I thank the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach for the opportunity to have the debate and I thank all of the Senators who have made a contribution on this very important topic. It is clear from the contributions that this issue is one of great importance to Members of this House. All would agree that we must continue to provide opportunities for young people to contribute to society in a productive and meaningful way. We all have that shared interest. It is also clear from the contributions that this cannot be achieved by one Department or agency working in isolation. It must come through a whole-of-government approach and our Department, for example, is working with colleagues in all of the relevant Departments and agencies at national and local levels in six potential pilot areas to implement the no wrong door principle.”
“This is yet another key step as we strive to deliver on our commitment to criminalise those who target some of the most vulnerable in our society, our children and young people, in order to commit offences. I thank the Cathaoirleach and look forward to hearing the contributions from Members.”
“Reducing the susceptibility of the young people concerned to negative influence by criminal networks has laid positive foundations for greater concentration on the network disruption pillar over this second phase of the trial sites. To further support this work, legislation was introduced last year that makes it an offence for an adult to either force or encourage children to engage in any criminal activity. Those found guilty of the offences under this Act may face imprisonment of up to 12 months on summary conviction and up to five years on indictment. The legislation recognises the life-long impact and harm done to a child who is drawn into criminal activity. Unfortunately, we are all too aware of the immensely damaging impact these organised crime gangs can have on communities.”
“It also seeks to improve the likelihood of pro-social outcomes for children who are already involved in these criminal networks. The Greentown programme has been in place in two locations since 2021 and has now been extended for a further three years. Over the last two years, there have been notable improvements in reducing the influence of criminal networks in the trial site communities. Children and families are better enabled to withstand the powerful attraction of network membership and to make pro-social choices. The programme also targets adults who seek to groom children into their criminal networks as one of its key pillars.”
“The initiative builds on relationships already developed between courts and individual youth diversion projects in their areas and takes into account consultations with the Ombudsman for Children and the President of the District Court in July 2024. Even in the most serious cases that come before the Criminal Courts of Justice, this type of informal support by a professional youth justice worker may be the catalyst for the long-term rehabilitation of the young offender. I will take this opportunity also to highlight some other examples of our commitment to preventing young people getting drawn into crime, one of which is the Greentown programme established by our Department in 2020. This programme aims to reduce the influence of criminal networks on children at risk of involvement.”
“The role of this accompaniment is not advocacy but to explain in layperson’s terms what is happening at the various stages of the proceedings and to be there as a support for the defendant. In the Children Court, the service may provide the court with an alternative to proceeding to a hearing and conviction. The alternative would be to defer and to invite the young defendant to work with the youth diversion project on the understanding that successful engagement with the project and a genuine commitment to a change of behaviour would be of real benefit to the defendant and allow a different conversation and conclusion when the case is relisted.”
“Every cent we invest in diverting young people away from the criminal justice system pays us back in spades. It is also important to emphasise that diversion works. At the time of the introduction of the Children Act 2001, some 30,000 children committed crimes each year. By 2016 that had reduced to approximately 10,000. This decline has continued. In 2023, the most recent year for which official figures are available, the figure was 7,843. Another key area in which my Department is supporting young people is the development of a court accompaniment service for young offenders. This service is being provided by the dedicated and skilled staff of the youth diversion projects alongside the court accompaniment services already funded for children who are witnesses or victims of sexual crime.”
“It increases our support for those young people who are hardest to reach and allows for early interventions for eight- to 11-year-olds who may be at increased risk of becoming engaged in criminal activity. All this reflects our continued commitment to investing in youth for the betterment of our communities. We have also made a commitment to expanding these services' availability to those aged from 18 to 24. We know from international research that a number of factors place young adults in this age group at a higher risk of becoming involved in criminal behaviour. It is important to reach out to this age group and ensure they recognise that they will not be abandoned and left to fend for themselves when they officially become young adults as they turn 18.”
“The expansion of the service has been made possible by the unprecedented funding that has been allocated to youth justice services. By investing in our youth, we are investing in the future of Ireland. We are building a society where young people can achieve their potential, positively impact their communities and escape cycles of crime. Funding for youth justice services has increased substantially from €18 million in 2020 to more than €36 million in budget 2025. It has also allowed for increased availability of these service at weekends and late at night. This was a key recommendation from the Department's evaluation. It ensures that these vital services are made available when many young people need them most.”
“I am delighted to say that when these projects are up and running before the end of the year we will have achieved a full nationwide coverage of the youth diversion programme. This means that any child in the country who needs to avail of these services will be able to do so. The evaluation highlighted many existing strengths of the youth diversion projects. The personnel working on the projects were recognised as being exceptionally important. It found that they are experienced and highly qualified and report strong levels of satisfaction in their work. The report showed clear evidence that youth justice workers have a hugely positive impact on these young people, their families and their communities. As Minister of State, I am immensely proud and thankful for the tremendous work each of them does for the young people of this country.”
“Youth diversion projects offer a chance at a better, more fulfilling life. Their work has been shown to have hugely positive impacts on the young people involved, their families and their communities. My Department conducted a youth diversion project evaluation, which identified decreasing risk levels among participants in respect of peer relations, leisure and recreation, personality and behaviour, and attitudes and orientation. It showed that young people who engage in youth diversion projects were less involved in criminal or antisocial behaviour, had improved self-confidence and communication skills, increased happiness and an overall improved sense of hope. Two new successful youth diversion project applications have recently been commissioned in east Clare and north Tipperary.”
“I have been fortunate to see at first hand the incredible work being done by people in these projects around the country. I recently visited the Limerick Youth Service's youth diversion project, the Moyross youth diversion project in my home county and the Clare Youth Service in Ennis. These visits were great opportunities for me to meet the staff and participants of the projects and to hear their experiences. Both projects do amazing work in their respective communities, responding to the changing needs of families who use their services. The Moyross project, for example, operates a scrambler initiative, which receives funding from my Department. This programme seeks to educate young people about the safe use of vehicles as well as provide opportunities for motocross, personal development and educational activities.”
“Diversion into the Garda youth diversion programme is the first option, except in the case of serious crimes, or serious repeat offending. The statutory Garda programme is supported by a network of 93 youth diversion projects, each of which is managed by a community-based organisation, which may be a youth service or a local community resource centre. These community-based initiatives seek to divert young people who have become involved in crime and antisocial behaviour. They also support the wider preventative work within their communities, in particular with at-risk families. We all know there is no quick-fix solution to diverting young offenders away from a life of crime. However, these youth diversion projects offer a responsive, empathetic road towards a better life for so many.”
“At its core it emphasises early intervention, prevention, family support and community engagement. The strategy is not just a plan on paper, it has tangible actions and objectives aimed at promoting positive behavioural change. It is our strategy to directly target problem behaviours to help us break the cycle of young people reoffending. We are continuing to implement and evaluate our youth justice strategy, which is now reaching its midway point. We have made a commitment in the programme for Government to develop a successor at the end of the current strategy's lifespan. The first principle underpinning the Children Act is that children should be diverted away from the criminal justice system where it is appropriate to do so, having considered the offending behaviour, the rights of the victim, and the interests of society.”
“They are entitled to dignity, respect and access to services that will promote their healthy engagement with their communities and wider society. Youth justice interventions are not about young people avoiding punishment or consequences but about recognising that many young people who stray from the proper path simply need support and direction to get their lives back on track. This is why preventing offending behaviour and diverting children and young people from further involvement in the criminal justice system are at the heart of what we do. The youth justice strategy is a forward-thinking plan designed to address the unique challenges faced by young people in Ireland. It is a commitment to the young people of Ireland and a promise to create a brighter, more equitable future for all.”
“I welcome the opportunity to discuss efforts to divert our young people from crime. At the core of our diversion efforts is the fact that all young people deserve the opportunity to improve their quality of life. We believe they deserve to have choices and be enabled to make better life decisions for themselves. Directly intervening to support our young people, especially those who are most at risk, is vital to build stronger and safer communities. As Minister of State, I am glad to have the opportunity to invest in and further develop our youth justice services. The work I have engaged with since being appointed has filled me with hope and optimism. Our approach to youth justice in Ireland, informed by international standards, is that children in conflict with the law are still children.”
“The relevant three-month period to opt into this proposal will expire on 13 May 2025. It is desirable that Ireland should exercise its right to opt into this amending regulation. Therefore, I ask the House to approve the opt-in in this amendment to the proposed regulation.”
“As Deputies will appreciate, it is desirable for Ireland to apply the same updated rules as other member states. As a result, what we are asking the House to do today is to approve the exercise by the State of the opt-in or direction under Protocol 21 to take part in the adoption and application of the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation 2015/848 on insolvency proceedings to replace its Annexes A and B. It is important to reiterate that the current proposal merely modifies these annexes to accurately reflect the content of national notifications and adopt the annexes containing the lists of national procedures or types of insolvency practitioners respectively in this field. These changes do not affect any of the obligations and rules set out in the regulation.”
“It is important for me to emphasise that this amending regulation does not make any change to the lists of Irish insolvency proceedings and Irish insolvency practitioners in Annexes A and B that are to be recognised and enforced by other EU member states under the recast insolvency regulation. As already stated, it is desirable that Ireland should opt into this proposal for several reasons. The recast insolvency regulation is an important and well-established part of civil justice co-operation between EU member states and ensures a more coherent and predictable approach in cross-border insolvency cases, and avoids unnecessary legal uncertainty and added litigation costs. The amending regulation is a very useful updating measure to ensure the effective and efficient operation of the recast insolvency regulation across EU member states.”
“It is important therefore that these annexes are regularly updated in order to reflect the actual legal situation in the member states. The specific changes made by the new amending regulation are designed to replace Annexe A and Annexe B of the 2015 regulation with updated versions to take account of new types of insolvency proceedings and insolvency practitioners arising from changes in national insolvency law in seven member states. These member states are Slovakia, Estonia, Spain, Malta, Italy, Belgium and Luxembourg. The European Commission has analysed the notifications of the said member states in order to ensure compliance of the notifications with the requirements of the regulation.”
“I thank Deputies for their contributions to this important debate. We have listened carefully to what has been said today, and we can all agree on the importance of this opt-in. In summary, this proposal was presented by the European Commission to the Council on 14 February 2025. It is for an amending regulation that will update and replace Annexes A and B of recast Regulation 2015/848. These annexes are decisive in defining the scope of the application of Regulation 2015/848 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 May 2015 on insolvency proceedings. They set out definitive lists of the different types of national insolvency proceedings and national insolvency practitioners in each member state that are to be recognised by other member states for the purposes of the regulation.”
“Too many children with complex backgrounds and needs still come to Garda attention. We must continue to focus on working with children who are heavily involved with crime and antisocial behaviour, or who are at risk of being groomed by criminals, to pull them back and give them a better pathway in life. We will continue to strive to improve the quality of these children's lives and those of everyone in their communities in line with our youth justice strategy. I thank the Ceann Comhairle and look forward to listening to Deputies' contributions to this debate.”
“The aim of the statutory Garda youth diversion programme is to prevent young people from entering the criminal justice system. An Garda Síochána's decision on whether to admit a young person to a diversion programme is based on a number of factors. These include the nature of the offence, the impact of the offence on the community, the views of the victim and the offending history of the young person. Diversion is not used for very serious offences or serious repeat offending. I believe that every young person deserves the opportunity to improve his or her quality of life. Young people deserve to have choices and to be enabled to make better life decisions for themselves. Now that we have achieved full nationwide coverage, every child will have this opportunity. However, we cannot afford to get complacent.”
“It highlights the great work being done by An Garda Síochána and the Criminal Assets Bureau in identifying and seizing these ill-gotten gains. It puts the money back into local communities for the benefit and support of those who need it the most. We are already seeing the positive impact on communities of projects such as the steering and sparring programme from Omeath District Development. I assure the House that we will continue to support initiatives like this and many others across Ireland. We have seen the incredible work that is being done by people across the country to improve the lives of our young people. It is a reflection of the fact that, when it comes to our young people, it truly does take a village. Youth diversion is not about young people avoiding punishment or consequences.”
“In preparation for the establishment of the national office, a number of staff, including a director designate, have been appointed. These staff are engaging directly with local authorities and other stakeholders to support the establishment of the partnerships. These tailored approaches to community safety will address the specific needs of our young people, ensuring that no one is left behind. By doing so, we strengthen the fabric of our society and create a more inclusive environment where every young person has the chance to thrive. The community safety fund, founded by our Department, also plays a central role in supporting our communities. This fund was established in 2021 to reinvest the moneys seized as the proceeds of crime into new, innovative community safety projects, a number of which are focused on youth justice.”
“These innovative projects bring together local stakeholders with Government agencies and An Garda Síochána to create a community safety plan tailored to their needs. The plans will assign ownership to the appropriate State body to address each concern, whether that is additional street cleaning by the local authority or increased Garda engagement in a particular area. Nobody understands the needs of a community better than the communities themselves. These partnerships will complement the work of the youth diversion projects, providing accessible services that young people want to engage with. The Act also provides for a national office for community safety. A function of this office is to provide training, guidance and support to the partnerships.”
“Since then, the unit has seized €627 million in illicit drugs, 171 firearms and 6,586 rounds of ammunition and made 1,722 arrests. Again, I commend An Garda Síochána on this work. The more it does to disempower those who entrap young people in crime, the better. The Garda Commissioner has stated that he will continue to target those who import and supply drugs. I am sure that is something we all welcome and can recognise the positive impact it will have on the lives of young people across the country. Today the Minister, Deputy O’Callaghan, has commenced the landmark Policing, Security and Community Safety Act. This Act will provide for the establishment of local community safety partnerships across the country.”
“The focus of An Garda Síochána is on disrupting and dismantling drug trafficking networks that impact our communities, and prosecuting those involved at every level, through Operation Tara. The focus of Operation Tara is to disrupt, dismantle and prosecute drug trafficking networks, at all levels - international, national and local - involved in the importation, distribution, cultivation, production, local sale and supply of controlled drugs. Under Operation Tara, individuals and groups involved in the drug trade will be the target of enforcement activity based on intelligence and the latest crime trends. The Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau, GNDOCB, leads in tackling all forms of drug trafficking and the supply of illicit drugs in Ireland. The unit was established in 2015.”
“In January of this year, as part of ongoing investigations into drug-related intimidation, gardaí from the Dublin metropolitan region north division, assisted by the district drug unit, the armed support unit and the Garda dog unit, conducted a number of searches under warrant in north County Dublin. A man in his 50s and a woman in her 40s were arrested under organised crime legislation. I commend An Garda Síochána on this work. It is important that it continues to tackle those who attempt to ensnare young people in a life of crime, either through grooming or intimidation. With regard to tackling the sale and supply of drugs more broadly, An Garda Síochána continues to target those involved in street-level drug dealing across the country.”