Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)

There is still an argument to be made about the philosophy of the ASBO — whether it is a useful measure or whether, as some of us believe, it is likely to prove counterproductive. The idea has been borrowed from the United Kingdom, although the Minister argues that his application of the concept will be markedly different from what has occurred in the UK. We can learn wider lessons from the experience of the production and application of criminal legislation in the United Kingdom. Since the New Labour Government was elected there in 1997 — it has been in office for the same length of time as the Fianna Fáil-Progressive Democrats Government in this country — it has introduced 40 separate criminal justice Bills.

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