M J Nolan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)

I join other Members of the House in outlining my abhorrence at the recent double murder in Drimnagh, which was especially shameful because the two individuals who were killed were not Irish. This is an appropriate time for the House to be discussing anti-social behaviour. The number of complaints I receive from the public about such behaviour has increased significantly over the past six months, particularly since Christmas. While some of the behaviour in question is taking place in local authority estates, it is not confined to such areas. It is now common in every housing estate and street in every town. One of the most sinister aspects of anti-social behaviour is that those who are involved in it, who are mainly young men, tend to target the most vulnerable people in our society, such as old people and single girls who are living with young children. There was a time when such things happened only around Hallowe'en when, for example, crackers were put in the letterboxes of old people and other vulnerable householders. Such incidents are now reported every week of the year. Anti-social behaviour does not just happen at weekends — it is going on all the time.

While I accept that communities have some responsibilities, I want to focus on the role of the parents of the youths who are involved in sinister criminality of this nature. We cannot simply lay the blame at the door of the Garda Síochána or the local authorities. We must point the finger of blame at those who are raising these young people and do not know what they are up to at any given time. We are sometimes asked to move families out of local authority houses when there is a significant increase in anti-social behaviour in the area. Moving one family out and putting another family in does not solve the problem, however, as the new family has to contend with the same difficulties. Cars are damaged and their windows broken, particularly late at night when estates are relatively quiet. It is not acceptable, in this day and age, that some people are afraid to walk around estates at night for fear of being attacked and abused.

The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform is required under the Garda Síochána Acts to set out his policing priorities for each year. I am glad he has identified the need to tackle anti-social behaviour as one of his 2008 priorities. There has been an increase in Garda activity throughout most of our towns. Although some may think it a little bit of a laugh to see gardaí going around on bicycles, I know places where community policing is being practised by gardaí — there are foot patrols and gardaí on bikes — and it has reduced the incidence of anti-social behaviour. I would like to see that expanded.

We have a responsibility to protect our old and most vulnerable people, whether it is with a combination of more Garda resources or more power for our local authorities. More importantly, we must empower our communities in tackling this problem. I would like to see that happen.

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