Ahern rejects claim that Asbo system is a 'failure'

JUST SIX anti-social behaviour orders (Asbos) have been issued in the two years since the legislation was introduced, but Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern rejected claims that the system was a “failure”.

He said the sequence of behaviour warnings and good behaviour contracts which precede Asbos “have made a significant contribution to addressing the problem of anti-social behaviour.

But he had asked the Garda Commissioner for a review of the system “to see whether any improvements can be made”. Since March 1st, 2007 when the civil proceedings were introduced, eight applications were made to the courts for orders. Six were granted, three for adults and three for children. A total of 988 behaviour warnings were issued to adults and 684 warnings to children. Twelve good behaviour contracts, used only in the case of children, were also agreed. The civil proceedings become criminal only if an Asbo is not obeyed.

Labour justice spokesman Pat Rabbitte said that “given the scale of anti-social behaviour in so many of our communities, to talk about three civil orders and three behaviour orders is absurd”.

He said “so many of our communities are tortured by anti-social behaviour and people are targeted because they are vulnerable. Anybody who is different, older people, women living alone and people from diverse backgrounds are targeted.”

He said “the Asbo is a failed mechanism and has no impact, and we should begin by admitting that”.

Mr Ahern rejected the claim and said there was a “sequence” in place, with the Asbo as a “last resort”. Warnings had been used and had an effect “because only in a rare number of cases have they gone to court”.