Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

I would have thought the process is working well. Despite that, I have accepted that there is a perception among people, not least the Deputy, that the process is not working and I have asked my Department to have another look at it to see if we can make any changes. Ultimately, the success of the initiative is being measured by in effect criminalising young people in particular. If a young person gets a warning and behaves thereafter, we should not, for the sake of statistics, force the Garda to criminalise people by serving them with an order or bringing them before a court to get an order. It is not a solution.

The people who ignore the original warning and a contract that they may have entered into can be brought to the ultimate sanction but the process is incremental. The fact that so many warnings are given that do not end up in orders proves the opposite of the Deputy's contention.

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