One in four of the cases referred to the Labour leader's constituency office relates to anti-social behaviour, the Dáil was told.
Pat Rabbitte said it was no longer an urban phenomenon. "People are being driven out of communities in which they have put down roots and worked. People's property is being destroyed in their driveway," he added.
"Only last Saturday, a woman visited me whose car has been damaged three times since Christmas. Youths are selecting people for persecution.
There is joyriding in the vicinity in the evening and night. Drug-taking is occurring in public spaces and parks." Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said the issue was being dealt with in the Criminal Justice Bill.
"Under the Bill, a civil order can be made in respect of an individual," he added. "If the individual breaches it, he or she will be guilty of a criminal offence. That individual can be taken up without warrant. Curfews can be applied in certain areas."
He added that there was also "a string of other powers" which were necessary to stop what is a small group of people who continually harass their neighbours and communities".
Mr Ahern said that tough laws had been passed whereby alcohol could be taken from those involved and where they were prevented from loitering or using their ghetto-blasters or motorbikes.
The Minister, he added, was adopting what would be regarded by many as a draconian position.
"These are very tough measures. People will be down to St Luke's [the Taoiseach's constituency office] complaining about them," said Mr Ahern.
"Parents do so now and say their Johnny is getting a rough time from the police. However, the reality is that if young people do not get a bit of a rough time from the police, we will never address these issues."
Mr Rabbitte said the desecration of the environment was also a factor in anti-social behaviour, as was the tearing down of telephone booths and the existence of graffiti everywhere.
"It is an horrific problem, not least for those living alone and old people who are afraid to go to the shop or venture out in the evening," said Mr Rabbitte.
"It is simply not acceptable that so many of our citizens have no resort to anyone to give them relief." He warned that when the law was not enforced the issue became an academic topic for debate.
"The people who visit me every week are not interested in a lecture about existing laws or those in prospect, or the speeches of the Minister for Justice," he added.
"They are interested in what happens on a Saturday night when they are under siege from youths congregating outside who threaten them in their own homes, when their cars and property are being damaged and when they do not know whether the local school can be left vacant during summer recess because of the extent of damage to schools and public property."
Mr Ahern said there were now 14,000 gardaí. "We have over 1,200 extra gardaí. We spend 90 per cent more on the Garda than we did in 1997," he added.
