Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

I am sure the Minister of State will acknowledge that the problems of juvenile crime and vandalism are worsening, particularly in some communities. When the Children Act 2001 was enacted, it was welcomed as ground-breaking in that it contained specific provisions to make parents responsible and to prevent abdication of their responsibilities in respect of their children in certain circumstances. Why, seven years after the law's enactment, has the provision in question not been used?

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