Sometimes it is not the amount of money a Government provides, but the level of commitment and support it displays for local communities that makes the difference. Certainly, a €1.6 million funding package for Dublin’s north inner city will not eradicate decades of official neglect or eliminate drug abuse and gangland murders. But it offers the community hope that things will change and that, through their involvement, a better life is possible.
It took a succession of gangland murders to make the Government take notice of drug-related crime that has blighted the prospects of job creation and damaged family and community life. Part of that response will involve the reopening of Fitzgibbon St garda station and the maintenance of a high-visibility Garda presence. But policing, however important in the short term, will not meet the broader needs of the community. In that regard, the allocation of €1m for sports facilities – to encourage healthy activities and keep young people off the streets – is a positive development. Similarly, a €500,000 fund for cleaning up the area and removing graffiti will help. But the provision of €100,00 for drug-related projects is miserly and seriously inadequate.
This fund should be regarded as an indication of good faith, prior to the drafting of a broad investment agenda. Taoiseach Enda Kenny suggested as much when he told community leaders he would lead a ministerial task force and concentrate on infrastructural and social shortcomings that will also include the Garda Síochána and the local authority. Amongst the issues already identified are policing, housing, education and welfare, along with strategic investment in small local projects. To be effective, this approach will require community input at all levels, from local activists and small businesses to residents' associations and charitable organisations. A top-down response – involving imposed solutions – may appeal to some State officials, but that is not the way to tackle deeply entrenched social problems. Residents of the North Inner City require detailed consultation and early action.