James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, in line with a Programme for Government commitment, I established an Expert Forum on Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) in 2020. The Forum is examining a broad range of issues with a focus on developing measures which will counteract the negative impact of ASB on community morale and quality of life.

The forum has established four sub-groups to consider the specific issues of the misuse of scramblers and quadbikes, knife crime, responses to ASB impacts on housing complexes managed by Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) and to review the powers available to An Garda Síochána in relation to public order offences.

Updates from each of the sub-groups are outlined below:

• The knife crime subgroup assessed available evidence to inform policy on knife crime and produced a policy paper with recommendations to inform both legislation and community safety policies, programmes and practices.
• The subgroup to consider the issues of Anti-Social Behaviour that are arising within Approved Housing Bodies' accommodation complexes have completed a Local Leadership Programme (LLP) in a trial location and will be rolling out LLPs in more locations moving forward in collaboration with local authorities, AHBs and the Department of Housing. The recommendations of this subgroup could include possible pilot approaches to address this issue in one or more geographical areas.
• The subgroup to review Garda powers has produced a policy paper with recommendations focused on offences under the Public Order Acts, but not serious crime, such as drugs and organised crime, and not low-level nuisances such as litter, graffiti, etc. for which Gardaí do not have responsibility.
• The scramblers subgroup delivered a community-based approach to tackling misuse of these and similar vehicles, with my Department providing funding to Youth Diversion Projects (YDPs). €190,000 was allocated in 2022, and a further €190,000 in 2023. For 2024, almost €149,000 in funding has been allocated. My Department welcomes additional applications from other YDPs and is working with a number to support them in developing additional local scrambler initiatives.

Other subgroups may be established to tackle additional specific issues as required.