A FINE Gael senator has called for a local curfew on juvenile troublemakers. Senator Brian Hayes said it was time for both parents and politicians to face up to "the widespread problem of gangs of children on our streets at night who have become a law unto themselves".
Senator Hayes also said there was a need to extend community service orders, which currently only cover those over 16, to deal with children from 14 to 16.
Juveniles committed 13,000 offences last year and half of the offenders were under 16.
