Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 490: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if the situation of anti-social behaviour in housing estates and the fear that same engenders in vulnerable people has been discussed (details supplied). [3242/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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Strong provisions are already in place to combat anti-social and unlawful behaviour. The primary basis for the law regarding public order offences is the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994, which modernised the law in this regard.

I recently published legislative proposals to deal with anti-social behaviour, including provision for anti-social behaviour orders. I propose to introduce these proposals by way of Committee Stage amendments to the Criminal Justice Bill 2004, which is before the House. In so far as anti-social behaviour orders for children are concerned my colleague, Deputy Brian Lenihan, Minister of State with special responsibility for children, has obtained Government approval for separate provisions in regard to children to be brought forward as Committee Stage amendments to the Criminal Justice Bill 2004, as part of a package of measures concerning juvenile justice issues.

In formulating the proposals my Department has, where the need arose, consulted with relevant Departments. In this regard, discussions have taken place with the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government in regard to housing legislation, in so far as anti-social behaviour is concerned.

I take great satisfaction in the Government's decision of October 2004 to approve the recruitment of 2,000 additional gardaí to increase the strength of the force to 14,000. As a result there will be a combined organisational strength, of both attested gardaí and recruits in training of 14,000 in 2006. One thing I have already promised is that the additional gardaí will not be put on administrative duties but will be put directly into frontline, operational, high visibility policing.

The Garda Síochána is now better resourced than at any time in its history. The Garda funding which I secured in the Estimates for 2006 is at an historic high of over €1.29 billion, and compares to just €600 million in 1997. The provision for Garda overtime in 2006 will be €83.5 million — an increase of €23 million on the allocation for 2005. This will greatly aid the planned deployment of a visible policing service in a flexible, effective and targeted response to criminal activity and crime prevention. The €83.5 million in overtime will yield 2.725 million extra hours of policing by uniformed and special units throughout the State.

I attach great importance to the development of a real partnership between the Garda Síochána and local authorities on matters affecting policing. My intention and that of the Oireachtas, as set out in the Garda Síochána Act 2005, is that joint policing committees and local policing fora established under them will provide arenas where the Garda Síochána and local authorities can co-operate and work together to address local policing and other issues.

I will shortly issue guidelines for the establishment and operation of the committees after consulting my colleagues, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. My view is that the best way forward is to establish a small number of joint policing committees on a pilot basis. Setting up a small number of pilot committees will give an opportunity to identify any teething problems that may arise when they are operating in practice. Any problems can then be addressed before the joint policing committees are rolled out to the remaining local authorities. I hope to be in a position to make a further announcement in this area in the near future.

Last month I approved grant funding to 13 applications under the community based CCTV scheme. This initiative will allow communities to press ahead with their own local CCTV system. This scheme provides an ideal opportunity for communities to work with local gardaí and their local authority with a view to improving the safety and well-being of their area. CCTV has proved extremely successful in the prevention and detection of crime and is part of a series of measures aimed at tackling street assaults and public disorder.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that they take a proactive approach to policing anti-social and public disorder issues by immediate intervention, arrest and prosecution or advice, as appropriate, under the juvenile diversion programme. Divisional juvenile liaison officers regularly visit schools, youth clubs and social services and give presentations under the education programme and highlight alternative options for regular offenders. Community gardaí and the Garda schools liaison officers also visit schools and address young people on a variety of topics, including anti-social behaviour. The concept of restorative justice provides for the bringing together of offenders and victims, which can also help to highlight the impact of anti-social behaviour, and other criminal behaviour, on victims and other members of the community.

Members of the Garda Síochána are frequently in contact with other Government and non-Government agencies, particularly the local authorities in order to develop a multi-agency approach to addressing anti-social behaviour and public disorder and other issues by introducing by-laws regarding drinking in public places. These efforts will continue.

There are 64 Garda youth diversion projects established nationwide. Garda youth diversion projects are a community-based, multi-agency crime prevention initiative which seek to divert young persons from becoming involved — or further involved — in anti-social and-or criminal behaviour by providing suitable activities to facilitate personal development, promote civic responsibility and improve long-term employability prospects. By doing so, the projects also contribute to improving the quality of life within communities and enhancing Garda-community relations. I am committed to the continuing development and, as resources permit, the expansion of Garda youth diversion projects. I have secured a budget of €6.6 million for the projects and local drugs task force projects in 2006, which represents an increase of €1.2 million for youth diversion. I intend to ensure that 100 schemes will be established nationwide before the end of 2007. I have asked the Garda Commissioner to bring forward proposals for further community based initiatives in this area in light of the additional funding.

A subgroup of the RAPID programme national monitoring committee was set up in the latter part of last year tasked with examining mechanisms to improve departmental-agency support and assisting RAPID areas in their response to tackling anti-social behaviour. This subgroup, which has commenced its work, comprises my Department, the Departments of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Health and Children, Education and Science, Social and Family Affairs, and the Garda Síochána, Pobal and FÁS.

In so far as anti-social behaviour has a social impact, my colleague, the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, informs me that under the NAP-inclusion process, people experiencing urban poverty and rural disadvantage are identified as vulnerable groups, and targets have been set to tackle social exclusion in urban and rural areas marked by disadvantage. The objective is to create viable and sustainable communities with access to employment, adequate income and services. Key targets in this area include fostering public safety and crime prevention, ensuring the basic needs of all families are met through enhanced and better co-ordinated State support services, improving access to employment, health, education and housing for rural dwellers and improved transport services to rural dwellers. Progress on these targets is ongoing.

Consultation for the 2006 to 2008 NAP-inclusion process was undertaken by the office for social inclusion at the end of 2005. Under the process 78 written submissions were received and over 500 people participated in a number of regional seminars. The issue of anti-social behaviour was discussed during the consultation process with participants agreeing that this issue affected both urban and rural areas. The input from the consultation process will inform future policy development as it will feed into the next NAP-inclusion process.