Fines, curfews and seizing Playstation: TD wants action on antisocial activity by 'youth gangs'
THERE NEEDS TO be a crackdown on antisocial activity carried out by young offenders, according to one independent TD who suggested curfews, fining parents and seizing PlayStations.
Speaking during Leaders' Questions in the Dáil today, Dublin Mid-West TD Paul Gogarty said there are not enough consequences implemented in the youth diversion programme to counteract the 'Andrew Tate-ification of young males'.
He told Taoiseach Micheál Martin that antisocial behaviour carried out by young offenders has been a persistent issue 'since this state began, but anecdotally it appears to be getting worse'.
Gogarty shared examples of incidents which have been reported to him in recent weeks, adding that abuse is 'given to anyone'. This includes the use of 'racist tropes' and misogyny, he detailed.
The TD called for tougher consequences to be implemented into youth diversion programmes: 'There needs to be tougher, on the spot type of stuff, whether it is curfews, seizing scooters, seizing PlayStations or fining their parents.
'We need to add that into the mix so that they know there are first-hand repercussions rather than waiting a year to get through the system,' he added, after quoting recent statistics to the Taoiseach that showed an increase in referrals.
Attacks by 'gangs of youths'
Responding, Martin said a response to antisocial activity needs be developed 'consistantly and constantly', adding that 'a lot is being done in schools' to counteract poor behaviour and promote inclusivity.
He said there is 'heightened degree' of antisocial activity from those in adolescence and teenage years and pointed to recent policy and legislative changes undertaken by government to crack down on such behaviour.
Martin said this included the introduction of body-worn cameras for gardaí, expansions to youth justice services and the creation of and investment in new diversion programmes.
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Speaking earlier, Gogarty said young people are parents have been attacked in recent weeks: 'A lot of our young people are now under threat from random violent assaults by gangs of 12 and 13-year-olds going around.
'I had parents come to me with a lad who got a punch and his eye socket was damaged. It was just a random attack.
'Equally, I know of parents walking in a park with a buggy, when four gangs of youths came over and threw bricks at them and verbally abused them,' he added.
Gogarty said a group of boys 'went into one of my local cafés, stole bottles, walked out brazenly and then came back in and emptied the contents of the bottles at staff'.
'What plans does the Government have to have consequences for actions?,' he asked the Taoiseach. 'We know there are root causes and I have raised those root causes previously, but if someone does something, where are the consequences?'
Community Safety Groups need to 'hurry up'
In his response to the TD, the Taoiseach said the creation of community safety partnerships – a locally-led policing initiative by government – 'is important, as are the community safety plans for every area'.
'The line between community engagement and moving into the youth [justice] space is a difficult enough one to crack,' the Fianna Fáil leader admitted.
Gogarty said he wished that community safety partnerships would 'hurry up and get them set up, because there is a deficit there, including in communities that are not designated as disadvantaged but have areas of disadvantage within them'.
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Gogarty added that though schools are doing a 'great job' with young students, the same behaviour is witnessed by educators.
'It is mainly female teachers in primary schools, and they are the one who are getting misogynistic abuse at sixth class level,' he added, calling for investment in early-education programmes and better social media regulation.
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'Everything they said they'd change to make sure Dad would get better care, but he didn't.'
