John Perry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 1000: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if the Housing (Miscellaneous Provision) Act 1997 does not cover nuisances which include noise, vandalism to property, children causing nuisance, obstruction caused by parking of vehicles, uncontrolled pets, late night drinking parties, and dumping of rubbish and littering, as this can cause an amount of stress and annoyance to residents; if the Act will be reviewed to include same and a law put in place to have noisy car exhausts banned as they are a cause of noise in estates at all hours of the day and night; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14452/07]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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Local authorities are responsible under the Housing Acts for the management and maintenance of their housing stock and the management of their estates, including taking appropriate measures in relation to anti social behaviour. Under the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1997 local authorities have powers to deal with anti-social behaviour which is defined to include either or both of the following:

(a) the manufacture, production, preparation, importation, exportation, sale, supply, possession for the purposes of sale or supply, or distribution of a controlled drug (within the meaning of the Misuse of Drugs Acts, 1977 and 1984),

(b) any behaviour which causes or is likely to cause any significant or persistent danger, injury, damage, loss or fear to any person living, working or otherwise lawfully in or in the vicinity of a house provided by a housing authority under the Housing Acts 1966 to 1997, or a housing estate in which the house is situate and, without prejudice to the foregoing, includes violence, threats, intimidation, coercion, harassment or serious obstruction of any person.

In line with the Government's recently published Housing Policy Statement Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities I propose to strengthen the powers of local authorities to deal with anti social behaviour in their estates. The necessary provisions will be included in the Social Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2006, the drafting of which is being advanced as quickly as possible with a view to publication by early summer.

Primary responsibility for dealing with law and order issues rests with the Garda Síochána and in this regard, the powers of the Gardaí in dealing with anti social behaviour were enhanced under the provisions of the Criminal Justice Act 2006. The Garda Síochána Act 2005 also supports these efforts and provides for the establishment of joint policing committees, representative of local authorities, the Gardaí, other public bodies and community interests.