The Labour Party has come out in support of Justice Minister Michael McDowell's plans to introduce British-style anti-social behaviour orders in Ireland.
However, launching proposals to combat anti-social behaviour today, the party said ASBOs should only be used in conjunction with other measures.
Several groups working in the area of juvenile crime have criticised the planned introduction of these orders, claiming they criminalise young people without having any real effect on their behaviour.
However, Labour leader Pat Rabbitte said today that he believed ASBOs had a role to play in Irish society.