McDowell planning new anti-social crackdown
11/03/2005 - 07:48:40Justice Minister Michael McDowell is reportedly planning to introduce new measures later this year to help gardaí and local authorities crack down on anti-social behaviour.
Reports this morning said Mr McDowell told the Oireachtas justice committee yesterday that he was planning to introduce Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBO) before the end of the year.
Such orders would allow gardaí or local authorities to summon loiterers and delinquents to court on a civil rather than a criminal basis.
These offenders would then be ordered to refrain from anti-social behaviour or face arrest and charge.
ASBOs have already been introduced in Britain, where, according to Mr McDowell, they have worked well.
