Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 July 2018
217. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the actions he will take to address anti-social behaviour issues on DART services; the resources that will be provided to An Garda Síochána to address such anti-social behaviour in instances in which gardaí are called to a DART station; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28776/18]
View answerAs the Deputy will appreciate, the allocation of all Garda resources, including personnel, is solely a matter for the Garda Commissioner and his management team and I have no direct role in this regard. However, I can assure the Deputy that An Garda Síochána continue to monitor all new and emerging crime trends in our communities, particularly in the summer months.
I am advised by An Garda Síochána that Garda management engages extensively with transport operators and a range of regional and local operations have been put in place to address incidents of anti-social behaviour. An Garda Síochána maintains close contact with local and senior management in Irish Rail and other transport providers. Gardaí also have a good working relationship with the public transport services providers and patrols of uniformed and plain-clothes Gardaí, including personnel on foot patrols and other community engagement duties, are routinely employed when deemed appropriate by Garda management.
Working with communities to tackle public disorder and reduce anti-social behaviour remains a key priority for An Garda Síochána. This approach includes a strong focus on quality of life issues and collaboration with local authorities to help address the causes of anti-social behaviour. I might add that there is a range of strong legislative provisions available to An Garda Síochána to combat anti-social behaviour, including provisions under the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Acts, the Criminal Damage Act and the Intoxicating Liquor Acts. There are also the incremental provisions contained in the Criminal Justice Act 2006 which provide for warnings and civil proceedings in relation to anti-social behaviour by adults and Part 13 of the Act which provides for warnings, good behaviour contracts and civil proceedings in relation to anti-social behaviour by children.
While An Garda Síochána will continue to tackle this problem head-on, they cannot eradicate the problem of anti-social behaviour alone. Specifically in relation to young offenders, it is also up to us as adults, particularly the parents and guardians of our young, to ensure that children are raised to be respectful and law-abiding. These lessons begin in the home, are further reinforced in our schools and then by society in general. We must all work together to ensure that such behaviour is never normalised and is tackled immediately.
