The Dáil has been told that ‘on-the-spot’ actions are necessary to address youth anti-social behaviour, reports RTE.
Independent TD Paul Gogarty said it’s important that young people who commit minor offences like assaults face consequences.
During Leaders’ Questions, he proposed possible measures such as placing limits on social media to prevent the “Andrew Tate-ification” of young teens, enforcing curfews, confiscating scooters and PlayStations, or issuing fines to parents, reports RTE.
“A lot of our young people are under threat from random, violent assaults just by gangs going around, 12-year-olds, 13-year-olds.
“I had parents come to me with a lad who got a punch and a damaged eye socket just from getting a punch,” reports RTE.
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“It’s abuse given to anyone. This is happening everyday, I’m not talking about the stuff that requires four mountain bike gardaí from operation Irene in an estate in my constituency where fires are lit regularly, drug dealing takes place and someone got attacked with a machete recently – that’s high level stuff that needs to be dealt with, true enough,” reports RTE.
“But it’s the low-level stuff that puts people in peril walking around and many times its young people who are randomly attacked,” reports RTE.
Mr Gogarty highlighted a gap in how authorities are tackling less serious crimes committed by under-18s.
The Taoiseach acknowledged that anti-social behaviour is a “real issue” and said the root causes and how it develops must be continually addressed, reports RTE.
Micheál Martin said he felt that schools are already handling the matter effectively and are ahead of the curve.
Addressing the Chamber, he noted that measures already in place include anti-social behaviour orders, the rollout of garda bodycams, and broader youth reach initiatives.
Still, he accepted that there is often a lack of consequences for low-level offences, partly due to a desire to give young people second chances, and he said he would take the matter up with the Minister for Justice, reports RTE.
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