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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 12 Dec 2000

Vol. 528 No. 1

Adjournment Debate. - Joyriding Offences.

Dr. Upton

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for the opportunity to raise this matter on the Adjournment.

The plague of joy riding continues unabated in many parts of Dublin and it has escalated in recent months because of the ease with which people can access cars on the black market. Some irresponsible people, who know their cars may not pass the national car test, conveniently leave them available to be stolen or go so far as to offer a financial incentives to have them taken away. Young people are being encouraged to take the cars and drive them without care for their safety or that of anybody else. The policy of car testing was not thought through when the NCT was introduced. The outcome is that stolen cars, freely available, are being driven recklessly and are then abandoned and burned out.

My colleague, Deputy Broughan, earlier this year called for a comprehensive programme of measures to control and end car related crime. He has asked repeatedly for multi-agency task forces similar to the drugs task forces to tackle joy riding. The resources identified as being needed to fund such an initiative include better education facilities in disadvantaged areas, more youth and community centres, motor courses to encourage first time offenders away from car crime, local estate management and additional help for hard pressed gardaí.

The Labour Party Bill in April last called for the prosecution of anyone who supplies or offers to supply a vehicle to an under age driver. Car owners and dealers must act responsibly and ensure that their older vehicles are lawfully disposed of. There is also a responsibility on the motor industry, vehicle manufacturers and car retailers to ensure the safe disposal and scrappage of their products.

A further stumbling block to the disposal of cars is the lack of an adequate facility for disposal. As a matter of urgency it should be ensured that all cars taken off the road are disposed of in a secure manner and in a way that will not allow access to under age, uninsured drivers. Money must also be made available to ensure young people have access to community and sports facilities so they can focus their energies on safe and productive activities. Communities that are struggling against the odds are often the immediate victims of joyriding and the disposal of burnt-out cars. This has a demoralising effect on those working to ensure a good and safe environment for their children and is most lamentable. There has to be responsibility for the communities terrorised by gangs of youths involved in this anti-social behaviour. The communities deserve protection from these activities and a hard-line approach should be taken with anyone found guilty of encouraging or allowing lawbreakers to operate but equally, facilities and supports must be made available to allow young people caught up in joyriding to refocus.

In my constituency this is an ongoing problem which is made worse by the ready availability of these cars. The real victims of this anti-social behaviour are the residents, who are terrorised on a nightly basis by dangerous and irresponsible driving followed by the abandonment and burning of the cars in their neighbourhoods. There are issues of law and order, safety, community support and the environment to be considered here. I ask the Minister to take decisive action to protect the affected communities and to contain this anti-social behaviour.

Seo an ceathrú Ábhar faoi bhráid na Dála anocht. I am standing in for the Minister who is away on Government business in Italy signing the UN convention against trans-national organised crime.

As the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform has informed the House on previous occasions, he has been assured by the Garda authorities that they are satisfied the provisions of the Road Traffic Acts, 1961 to 1993, are adequate to deal with situations where persons use or take possession of mechanically propelled vehicles without the consent of the owner. Deputy Upton has raised this issue on many occasions and it seems obvious that there is another factor involved in that some people may be offering inducements or incentives to take these vehicles away, which is very serious.

The unauthorised taking of a mechanically propelled vehicle is a criminal offence under section 112 of the Road Traffic Act, 1961, as amended. The legislation pertaining to the investigation of criminal damage, such as burning out cars, is defined under section 2 of the Criminal Damage Act, 1991. Furthermore, section 41 of the Road Traffic Act, 1994, provides the Garda with the powers to stop and seize vehicles they believe to be driven by under age drivers, who by reason of their age are ineligible to hold a driving licence and insurance. Any amendments to the existing body of road traffic legislation is a matter for the Minister for the Environment and Local Government who is responsible for all road traffic legislation. The Minister is determined to see that the Garda have all the resources they need to tackle all forms of crime effectively. As the House is aware, the size of the force now exceeds 11,400, the highest level ever recorded, and the Government is on target to meet the commitment to a strength of 12,000 by the year 2002.

Expenditure on the Garda vote has risen by nearly 50% since 1997. During that time, the Garda fleet has increased from 1,350 to 1,900 vehicles and the existing Garda fleet is modern, well-maintained, reliable and considered adequate by the Garda authorities to meet their current needs. The Garda air support unit has also become operational in recent years and an additional helicopter is being purchased.

The Minister is satisfied that the unprecedented increase in Garda resources is making a real impact. Contrary to what some people might think, the Garda authorities report that the number of incidents of car theft reported to them in the Dublin Metropolitan Region for the first ten months of the year 2000 shows a reduction of 9% when compared to the same period in 1999. The problem of joyriding has been targeted with a multi-faceted response involving a number of measures specifically aimed at reducing the incidence of joyriding. First, persons serving sentences for persistent offences related to so called joyriding offences are not granted early temporary release except in the most exceptional circumstances.

Second, the Garda operate special foot and mobile patrols, targeting specific areas in response to identified local requirements. All vehicles the subject of unauthorised takings are technically examined when recovered and known offenders are targeted for these offences. Each division also has a traffic unit who, outside of peak traffic hours, target incidents of joyriding and enforce the Road Traffic Acts. The Minister understands the special plain clothes patrols which concentrate on identifying cars that could be seized under section 41 of the Road Traffic Act, 1994, are showing some success. The air support unit has also been particularly effective in this area and last year assisted in the recovery of 62 stolen vehicles, and the arrest of 226 persons.

Third, the Garda is constantly liaising with community groups and a number of projects are in operation which have proved valuable in dealing with offenders. Fourth, the Garda and local authorities are working together in relation to estate management and are actively reducing the opportunities for joyriding. For example, physical changes such as barriers and speed ramps are being used to reduce access to areas frequented by youths engaged in these activities.

Finally, with regard to the seizure of vehicles, well over 5,000 cars without tax and insurance have been impounded by the Garda in Dublin this year to date. These vehicles are removed to compounds at Infirmary Road and to Santry Garda Station. The issue of further storage capacity is currently being considered by the Garda.

In relation to abandoned cars, the Waste Management Act, 1996, specifically prohibits the abandonment of vehicles on any land and empowers local authorities to deal appropriately with the abandoned vehicles. The enforcement and implementation of these provisions is a matter for the individual local authorities. I understand that in general the local authorities that provide this service have entered into agreements with locally permitted operators to take the vehicles in question for dismantling and or recovery.

The resources which this Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform has devoted to the crime and problems associated with so-called joyriding leave no doubt as to his commitment and the commitment of the Government in this area. Vast resources have been made available to this important crime-reducing area.

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