Grief amid concern for our youth

The tragic shooting of two young Wexford people received strong coverage in most of the south-east papers this week.

"Wexford stunned by double shooting horror" was the headline in the Wexford People. The article described the incident on Sunday, November 5th outside the Phoenix pub when 20-year-old John Hendrick "seriously injured his former girlfriend . . . with a double-barrelled shotgun and then turned the weapon on himself". The paper tells of the community's shock at the death of Mr Hendrick and the serious wounding of 16-year-old Amy Bolger. "The relaxed Sunday night atmosphere altered dramatically as people rushed around in fear and confusion trying to take in what had happened." The paper reported one witness as saying, "Everyone was running around crying and screaming. People were shaking with fright. There was chaos."

The Western People reported the "outrage" of a Castlebar Circuit Court judge at the level of underage drinking and incidents arising from it in Mayo. The paper said Judge Harvey Kenny "laid the blame principally at the feet of parents for failing to exercise proper control over their children. He also criticised publicans and the Garda and issued a stern warning that he did not want alcohol sold to underage children, "in any area of his jurisdiction". Judge Kenny challenged the people of the west to open their eyes to alcohol abuse among schoolchildren. He was speaking during the hearing of a case of sexual assault against a 13-year-old girl who had been on licensed premises prior to the attack, the paper reported.

The success of the national age card in Roscommon is detailed in the Roscommon Herald. The paper said the Vintners' Federation of Ireland had received a "tremendous response" from customers and publicans to its recent campaign to encourage young people to carry the card and 7,000 requests by young people for the card.

Cllr Donal O'Grady, an independent member of Killarney UDC, has "pleaded" for the reinstatement of a Garda Public Order Unit, the Kingdom told its readers.

The paper quoted Mr O'Grady as saying: "There are buses coming in from all over Kerry, Cork and Limerick and people are pouring out on to the streets at all hours with the new licensing laws." Mr O'Grady also criticised the Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue, "for his neglect of Killarney". Mr O'Grady said the Minister should "mind his own backyard" at a time when he is "talking about increasing the number of gardai all around the country" while Killarney remains desperately understaffed.

"Downgrading on the way for rural Garda stations" warned the Westmeath Independent. The paper said negotiations are believed to be under way to roster gardai based in some rural stations to Athlone Garda station and reports have been circulating that "the axing of a number of Garda stations is under consideration". The stations, according to the paper, are Moate, Ballymore, Ballinahown, Glasson and Ballymahon. Athlone Garda Superintedent Kevin Donohoe rejected suggestions that Garda stations are to be closed down. The paper quotes him as saying: "There is nothing of that nature in the pipeline."

In a similar situation in the North, the Fermanagh Herald reported the RUC had denied rumours that seven police stations in Fermanagh were due to close before Christmas. The rumour, the paper said, arose from a statement from DUP Minister Mr Gregory Campbell that he had received information that the stations in Ballinamallard, Tempo, Derrygonnelly, Lisbellaw, Roslea, Newtownbutler and Irvinestown were under review and would close within weeks. Supt Eddie Graham denied the reports and branded them as "irresponsible".

In the aftermath of the floods and storms, many editorials reflected on the damage and the need for future provision and planning. "Government need better plan for storm chaos," said the Drogheda Independent. The paper asks why, in the north-east which "took an awful battering", better contingency plans are not in place for such eventualities. "The fact is that Ireland almost came to a standstill because of abnormally high, but not unprecedented levels of rainfall. Surely it should have been better equipped to cope." The Meath Chronicle editorial said changing weather patterns were likely to mean more such storms and floods. "There is growing evidence," it said, "that it all comes back to one thing - global warming."

The Kilkenny People said the "heavy and persistent rainfall" had severely affected the harvesting of this year's main potato crop. The main growing area, it said, is in the south of Kilkenny where the land is waterlogged.