Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will finish on this last important point - I should have watched the clock - which relates to anti-social behaviour.

I have spent the past couple of months dealing with anti-social behaviour in my area, with those who have properties such as shops dealing with the scourge of youths rampaging through them, or walking in and taking items off shelves. I had a meeting last week with the local Garda inspector and businesses in the area the owners of which are deciding that if this does not stop they are moving out. These youths are causing havoc in communities. It is certain individuals whom I know well. All of them come from social housing. I am not condemning their parents, but the problem is that if a lad comes in, for instance, to Inchicore, and causes havoc, but lives somewhere else outside of Inchicore, there is nothing the city council can do to make that family accountable for their son. He is from outside the district. These anti-social behaviour rules that are coming in need to address this. If there are young people coming into an area whose family is living in social housing, it should be addressed no matter where they are from. I am not saying every child who is from a social housing background causes havoc, but I guarantee I could bring the Minister of State into Inchicore this evening and pick out five youths I know, all of whom are causing mayhem, who are living in social housing outside the area. I want this Bill to state clearly that, if a child is causing a problem and his or her parent is under a local tenancy agreement, something can be done if they live ten miles away because it is not happening.

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