Éire Láidir

PUBLIC SAFETY & PUBLIC SPACES

Tackling persistent anti-social behaviour

06 PUBLIC SAFETY & PUBLIC SPACES

TACKLING ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR

Éire Láidir believes that public spaces should be safe, accessible and welcoming to residents, workers, families and visitors. The policy focuses on persistent anti-social behaviour, intimidation, harassment, obstruction and serious nuisance — while protecting the right to use public places peacefully.

THE PROPOSAL

  • Introduce a new Public Spaces and Community Safety Act to strengthen the legal framework for persistent anti-social behaviour in designated public areas.
  • Give Gardaí a clearer statutory power to issue a Public Space Direction where there are reasonable grounds to believe that persistent conduct is causing intimidation, harassment, serious nuisance, obstruction or significant disruption.
  • Allow a direction to require a person to stop the specified behaviour and leave the immediate area peacefully, with defined safeguards and time limits.
  • Create a clear escalation route for repeat offenders, moving from warnings and recorded interventions to formal directions and, where necessary, court orders.
  • Allow courts to impose proportionate exclusion orders for persistent offending in specified locations, with breach treated as a separate offence.
  • Support local safety plans involving Gardaí, local authorities, businesses and communities in areas experiencing repeated problems.
KEY PRINCIPLE

The law should target harmful behaviour — not simply a person's presence in a public place.

A CLEARER LAW • STRONGER ENFORCEMENT

PUBLIC SPACE PROTECTION & REPEAT OFFENDING

ESCALATING CONSEQUENCES

  1. 01
    INITIAL INTERVENTION

    Warning, identification of the behaviour and a clear instruction to stop where appropriate.

  2. 02
    FORMAL DIRECTION

    For continued or serious behaviour, a written Public Space Direction with a defined area, duration and reason.

  3. 03
    COURT ORDER

    For persistent offending, Gardaí can seek a proportionate court order restricting entry to a specified area.

  4. 04
    BREACH

    Ignoring a lawful direction or court order without reasonable excuse becomes a separate offence, subject to due process.

SAFEGUARDS

  • Peaceful presence, lawful protest, ordinary socialising and legitimate use of public spaces will not in themselves constitute an offence.
  • Directions must be based on defined statutory grounds and recorded with the reasons for intervention.
  • Any exclusion period must be proportionate, time-limited and capable of challenge through the courts.
  • Special consideration must be given to children and vulnerable people, with appropriate diversion and support where necessary.
  • Independent oversight and published data should be used to monitor the operation of the new powers and prevent misuse.
THE AIM

Safe streets • accountable enforcement • stronger communities • public spaces for everyone

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