Protesters call for Asbos to be abandoned

Youth groups and human rights organisations have called on the Government to abandon its controversial plans to introduced antisocial behaviour orders (Asbos) and to invest in facilities for young people instead.

The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) believes Asbos are being introduced to win votes at the next general election while the Irish Council for Civil Liberties believes the mooted orders will criminalise thousands of young people.

USI's campaigns manager Rory Hearne told a protest rally in Dublin city centre on Saturday that the Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell, was copying the "knee-jerk politics of fear" in the UK where Asbos are already in place.

"A lot of young people are very concerned because Asbos and certain aspects of the Criminal Justice Bill, such as on-the-spot fines, curfews and a ban on using skateboards in some places, are going to make criminals of people even though the activities they are aimed at are not against the law now."

Civil liberties were going to be seriously curtailed as a result. Young people were being made scapegoats. The Government should abandon its plans for Asbos. Instead it should invest in resources for young people and begin a major drive to keep them in education for as long as possible, particularly in disadvantaged areas.

"This Government has been in power for eight years and now, all of a sudden, antisocial behaviour has become a big issue. We would say the only reason for this is the next election," said Mr Hearne.

The director of the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, Aisling Reidy, said the Government would be better advised resourcing measures in the Children's Act rather than focusing on penalising young people.

"The debate should be about getting people to re-evaluate their behaviour and keeping them out of the criminal justice system and away from prison. Community policing should also be a big priority.

"In places in the US where crime has come down, community policing has played a key role. This has not happened by giving police forces extra powers or by introducing zero tolerance."

However, Fianna Fáil TD Charlie O'Connor said the organisers of Saturday's march did not appreciate that in some areas, such as Tallaght in his constituency, many people did not feel secure because they had been targeted by "thugs intent on making their lives a misery".

Asbos represented a significant weapon in challenging this.

"It should be pointed out that people of all ages have nothing to fear from Asbos. The intention is that whatever system we adopt, it will only target repeat offenders. They will be a new tool for the Garda to tackle nuisance activity without bringing criminal charges."

Mr McDowell has said existing legislative provisions were inadequate to deal effectively with anti-social behaviour and that communities needed greater protection. He believes Asbos will afford this protection.

On Saturday about 600 people marched from the Garden of Remembrance at Parnell Square to the Central Bank on Dame Street, where the rally took place. The event was organised by the USI.