Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 331: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the steps he will take to deal with the problems for communities created by the actions of anti-social teenage gangs, particularly having regard to recent evidence that some of these gangs may be able to access firearms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47080/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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Tackling anti-social behaviour is a priority for both An Garda Síochana and my Department — as is evidenced by the resources we continue to commit to front line policing. The Garda Juvenile Diversion Programme, operated by Garda Juvenile Liaison Officers, has proved to be highly successful in diverting young persons away from crime by offering guidance and support to juveniles and their families. It also enables referral to the Garda Youth Diversion Projects which are community-based, multi-agency crime prevention initiatives operating separately from the Diversion Programme. There are currently 100 of these projects operating in various locations throughout the country.

The Children Act 2001 is now fully in force and provides a modern framework for responding to the needs of young people who come in contact with the criminal justice system. The Irish Youth Justice Service has been established to develop an integrated response to youth offending. This response is set out in the National Youth Justice Strategy 2008-2010, launched last March. There is a deep responsibility on parents where the behaviour of their children is concerned. The Children Act 2001 provides a number of measures in relation to parental responsibility in respect of children involved in anti-social behaviour, and children found guilty of offences.

Public disorder offences make up a significant proportion of crime committed by juveniles, and are an issue where cooperation between the Gardaí and the local community is vital. That is why I am proceeding with the roll out of the joint policing committees, following their successful pilot phase. These committees enable local authority representatives and officials and the Gardaí, with the participation of Oireachtas members and community interests, to get together in a structured way to discuss matters affecting the policing of the area.

Operation Anvil commenced in the Dublin Metropolitan Region in 2005 to deal with serious crime and was extended nationwide in 2006. The primary focus of the Operation is the targeting of active criminals and their associates involved in serious crime by preventing and disrupting their criminal activity through extensive additional overt patrolling and static checkpoints by uniform, mobile and foot patrols, supported by armed plain clothes patrols. Under Operation Anvil up to the end of November, 1,200 firearms have been recovered in Dublin and 1,000 in the rest of the country. There have also been over 7,000 arrests for serious crimes such as murder, robbery and burglary and 67,000 searches for weapons, drugs and stolen goods. In this way, the Gardaí will continue to address the issue of illegal guns relentlessly. Funding for Operation Anvil will increase in 2009 from €20 million to €21 million. I can assure the Deputy that I attach the highest importance to tackling the serious threat posed by firearms. The Gardaí will pursue relentlessly those who use firearms in the commission of crime, and I will provide both the resources necessary to do this and legislation required to prevent the availability of such weapons.