John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)

I support many of the provisions of the Bill, particularly the increase in detention periods from 12 to 24 hours and the decision to allow a chief superintendent to authorise a search without a warrant in certain circumstances. I have raised the issue of searches for years in the House only to be met by official denials that there was a problem in this regard. I am glad the Bill recognises that in some cases members of the Garda who are aware that a villain has stolen goods in a particular property must drive 120 or 130 miles to obtain a warrant from a District Court judge before carrying out a search. This is a practical measure which the Garda will find useful. I also support the introduction of fixed penalties for public order offences.

I concur with most of Deputy Peter Power's comments on anti-social behaviour. They mirror the sentiments expressed by many Deputies in this debate in recent months. Members have all heard stories from gardaí in recent years. My problem is that no one seems to know what is meant by community policing. Members of the Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Labour parties and even Sinn Féin have latched on to the idea of community policing because the message is politically highly transferable to the electorate. Everyone wants to have a cop outside the door. I doubt whether Deputies could explain what community policing will mean in the new era.

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