Sir, - It is with alarm that I read the suggestion that the current deliberations of the Oireachtas Committee concerned with the licensing laws are moving toward the sanction of an increase in the hours of trading available to public houses. I have no entrenched moral objection to such a move and can appreciate the general arguments in favour of more liberal licensing laws. My trepidation centres on the antisocial activity that appears the inevitable concomitant of overindulgence.I trust that the committee will clearly distinguish between those public houses, hotels etc. within recognised tourist and entertainment areas and those local facilities that are located in residential areas.My family and I, including very young children, live close to a public house. Under the current laws we are liable, especially at closing time, to noise and the range of irresponsible activity that alcohol appears to promote. I doubt that I am alone in stating that I will be disappointed if our legislators fail to discover a protocol that gives the greater weight to the interests of those desiring a reasonable level of quiet within residential areas. Pious injunctions concerning the need for respect and responsibility have been shown in the past to be ineffective. - Yours, etc., Valerie Ryan,Crumlin, Dublin 12.