Sir, – Housing estate after housing estate are popping up all over the place in a Government and developer drive to tackle the housing shortage. With a one-track mind we only think in terms of roofs over our heads and squashing as many as we can into the most economical space.
A serious and long-term effect is the lack of incorporating into housing estates recreation areas, not just a few grass spaces with trees.
Our young need to be kept occupied, they need sporting facilities, parks for exercise, community centres for extra curricular activities for arts and crafts, supervised discos, etc.
You may say the schools provide this but not outside hours or weekends. Our young are on the streets, taking drugs, drinking alcohol all brought on by boredom and lack of community facilities.
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Every housing estate over a certain size or residential area should provide all of the above. Our society would be well compensated by encouraging a well balanced and motivated young person instead of the cost of vandalism, drug and alcoholic clinics that deal with the consequences rather than the cause of the problem.
The recent riots and destruction in Dublin have woken up some people – to blame the Garda or blame the Minister, but don’t blame us for the society we have created. We have sat back and let this happen, we are all guilty. – Yours, etc,
XENIA MEATH,
Bray,
Co Wicklow.