Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

It does and I do not see why we should not have a method of doing that here also.

Points were made about the ASBO issue. I will not enter into that debate now, but I believe the range of measures being brought forward by the Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy Brian Lenihan, and me in this legislation are fully consistent with the Children Act and fully consistent with diversion. The regime for ASBOs in Ireland will be radically different from that in the United Kingdom.

The age of criminal responsibility will be 12. As the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Lenihan, stated yesterday, with offences committed by a person under age 14, the consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions will be required. A few cases in any civilised society of murder, manslaughter and rape may be carried out by an 11 year old and to say that the State can do nothing about this, with the child back in school on Monday morning as if nothing had happened, would scandalise public opinion.

See this speech in context