Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 492: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the way he will make parents responsible for the anti-social behaviour of their children; his plans to introduce parenting classes and when; the factors that will determine which parents will be involved; the resources that will be made available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18416/07]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The responsibilities of parents and guardians of offending youths are recognised in the youth justice system as being of key significance with regard to the behaviour of any child in their care. The Children Act 2001, as amended by the Criminal Justice Act 2006, provides a number of measures to take action in respect of parents or guardians of children found guilty of an offence.

Under the Act, an order can be made that a parent or guardian responsible for a child pay compensation to the victim or victims of any offence committed by that child. Also, a parent or guardian may be bound over by the court to exercise proper and adequate control over their child. If the child is found guilty of another offence as a result of said parent or guardian failing to exercise such control, the parent or guardian would forfeit a recognisance.

In addition, if a judge is satisfied that 'wilful failure of a child's parents to take care of or control the child contributed to the child's criminal behaviour', the judge can, at his/her discretion impose a Parental Supervision Order. For example, parents or guardians can be ordered to participate in a parenting skills course or, if necessary, to undergo treatment for alcohol or other substance abuse.

It should be noted, however, that the imposition of any particular sanction on the parents or guardians of an offending child is a matter for the judiciary.

I am informed by my colleague, the Minister for Children, that the Health Service Executive operate community based high support programmes to work specifically with problematic children on an individual basis, for example, Youth Advocacy Programmes and Extern. Family support programmes are provided by services such as the Community Mothers, Family Support Workers, Teen Parents Support Projects and Spring Board Projects and encompass specific interventions such as the Parents Plus programme, as well as a range of general parenting programmes and supports.

The Programme for Government contains a commitment to foster the Parents Plus approach to support families and parents and to establish local programmes to help parents, including parenting classes for those whose children have been identified as most at risk of future anti-social behaviour. I will be discussing with the Minister for Children how this commitment can best be implemented.