Paudie Coffey (Fine Gael)

To add to my earlier contribution, this is a very important section of the Bill and has been awaited for a long time by local authorities and elected representatives around the country who have been dealing with anti-social issues at the coalface. I am glad that consultation with the joint policing committees is recommended in the Bill. Some pilot projects of joint policing committees were established and have been a success and more are being established in the various local authority areas. This is a step in the right direction, attempting to bring the different agencies together, including housing authorities, local authorities, the Garda Síochána, the Health Service Executive and any other stakeholders working in this area. This is to be welcomed.

I welcome the fact that the adoption and amendment of an anti-social behaviour strategy shall be a reserved function. It is very important that democratically elected Members and councillors in local authority areas have that reserved function to amend and adopt the anti-social behaviour plans after what I hope will be a lengthy process of consultation with the various stakeholders. Fine Gael welcomes this provision.