Pádraic McCormack (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Question 129: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views in respect of anti-social behaviour orders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21149/08]

Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 172: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of persons given anti-social behaviour warnings since the new system came into operation on 1 January 2007; the number of anti-social behaviour orders sought in the same period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21106/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 129 and 172.

Part 11 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006, which provides for civil proceedings in relation to anti-social behaviour by adults, was commenced on 1 January, 2007. Part 13 of the Act, relating to anti-social behaviour by children, was commenced on 1 March, 2007. These provisions set out an incremental procedure for addressing anti-social behaviour by adults and children. With regard to children, these range from a warning from a member of An Garda Síochána, to a good behaviour contract involving the child and his or her parents or guardian, to referral to the Garda Juvenile Diversion Programme and to the making of a behaviour order by the Children's Court.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that up to 30 April, 2008, 624 behaviour warnings were issued to adults and 279 to children. There have been nine formal good behaviour contracts, which are used only in the case of children, agreed.

There were four applications by An Garda Síochána to the courts over the same period — two for a civil order (adult) and two for a behaviour order (child). These applications remain before the courts.

In setting up the regime, the intention was that these warnings or good behaviour contracts would themselves address the problem behaviour. It is only if they fail that a court order will be applied for. In any case, it inevitably takes time to reach the stage where a court order itself might be sought. No significance therefore should be attached to the fact that the stage has not yet been reached in the process where a court order has been issued. Where warnings or good behaviour contracts do not succeed in altering a person's behaviour, however, they will culminate in a court order being sought by the Garda authorities from the courts.