Over 100 teenagers took to the streets of Nenagh at the weekend to campaign for an alternative social outlet to pubs.
The Nenagh campaign comes as the Mid-Western Health Board quoted findings of its survey indicating two out of every three school -going teenagers in the Mid-West drank alcohol once or twice a week. Nine out of 10 were under the legal age for consumption of alcohol.
The board's director of public health, Dr Kevin Kelleher, said figures for regular drinking in north Tipperary were slightly higher than the Mid-West counties of Limerick and Clare.
Teenagers from the three secondary schools in the town organised a signed petition on the streets on Saturday and outside churches yesterday to boost their campaign for a proper youth club and appointment of a youth officer.
Nenagh Garda, Supt Jim Fitzgerald, will lead a deputation to tonight's meeting of Nenagh Town Council to seek a €150,000 loan to start the building of a proper community centre.
"We're not looking for much money for a community centre when you consider that it costs in excess of €100,000 to keep one prisoner in jail for a year."