Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 82: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the action he intends to take to deal with vandalism and anti-social behaviour which is causing major problems in many communities with families harassed and property vandalised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10794/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I can assure the Deputy that strong provisions have already been put in place to combat the causes of public disorder and anti-social behaviour countrywide. Reductions in violence and public order offences have followed the enactment, during 2003, of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act and the Intoxicating Liquor Act, which give significant additional powers to the gardaí to deal with public order and street crime.

One of the main strategic goals of the Garda Síochána is ensuring public safety by reducing the incidence of public disorder and anti-social behaviour.

I am pleased to note a reduction of 21% in assault causing harm in 2003 compared to 2002 and a reduction of 1% in assault causing harm in 2004 compared with 2003. This trend has continued in 2005 with a 15% reduction in assaults causing harm in the first quarter compared to the same period last year. The reduction in the number of offences in this category reflects an improving public order situation and a curbing of some of the excesses in the abuse of alcohol. An improving public order situation is to be welcomed by all those concerned with the preservation and maintenance of law and order.

However, I am taking a number of initiatives to strengthen the powers available to the Garda Síochána to combat anti-social behaviour. I have proposed a fixed charge procedure in relation to certain public order offences in the Criminal Justice Bill 2004 which is currently awaiting Second Stage in the Dáil. Section 29 of the Bill amends the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994 to provide for a fixed penalty procedure in relation to certain public order offences under that Act. The procedure will apply to an offence under section 4 — intoxication in public place — and section 5 — disorderly conduct in a public place. It is intended that the fixed penalty procedure will be an alternative to criminal proceedings being taken in the first instance.

In general, section 29 provides that a member of the Garda Síochána who has reasonable grounds for believing that a person who is not less than 18 years old is committing, or has committed, an offence under section 4 or section 5 of the 1994 Act may serve on the person personally or by post a fixed charge notice. In default of payment the person will be prosecuted for the offence.

I am concerned that people, particularly the elderly, feel threatened by forms of harassment which of themselves may not be criminal offences but which may cause distress. I intend to include in the Criminal Justice Bill a provision which will empower the gardaí to apply to the courts, by way of civil procedure, for an anti-social behaviour order which would expand the court to deal with the matter as it sees fit.

Last September, I relaunched the Crimestoppers initiative which is an imaginative partnership between the gardaí, the business community and the community which has been in place for a number of years. It operates a confidential freephone Crimestoppers number which is available to the public to alert the gardaí about crime or suspicious activity and to offer information in relation to ongoing Garda investigations. The confidential number is staffed by specially trained gardaí who are able to assess the value of the information being offered in the battle against crime. Crimestoppers is providing funding for the CrimeCall RTE programme which is a proven effective method of identifying the perpetrators of crime based on the assistance of the public.

Garda youth diversion projects are funded by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. They are a crime prevention initiative designed to engage with young people who have been identified as being at risk of involvement in criminal or anti-social behaviour. Each project is managed by a multi-agency and community based committee, which is responsible for the strategic direction of the project.

As the Deputy will be aware, this year I succeeded in securing an all-time historic high level of funding for the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and its associated agencies. The gardaí, the courts and the prisons, together with the Department itself, have never been better resourced or equipped. This funding will enable a number of key public policy initiatives to go ahead next year. Included in these are the recruitment of additional gardaí to increase the strength of the force by 2000 within two years bringing its total complement to 14,000.

Clearly, the additional resources will be targeted at the areas of greatest need, as is envisaged in the programme for Government. The programme identifies in particular areas with a significant drugs problem and a large number of public order offences, but it will be possible to address other priorities as well, such as the need to significantly increase the number of gardaí allocated to traffic law enforcement duties. I have already promised that the additional gardaí will not be put on administrative duties but will be put directly into frontline, operational, high-visibility policing.

This Government is strongly committed to the reduction and prevention of crime through strong and effective crime prevention methods. However, I cannot stress enough that while legislative measures can help to curtail the problem of anti-social behaviour, they cannot be viewed as the only solution. In reality it falls on all those with an interest in this area to play their role in helping to address the problem of anti-social behaviour.