Sir, - This evening, due to the lovely early summer weather I went for a walk around our town. During the course of this walk I passed by two new large housing estates, a travellers' halting site, and an old housing estate. Children were everywhere, playing at the side of the road, on the road and in some cases in almost non-existent gardens.
At the same time traffic was hurtling down our bypass road and up the hill to a large local factory. All I could think of was: where are the swings? Where are the slides? The field for playing football, basketball?
With every passing day we are failing these children - no housing estate, no halting site should never be built and opened for business without including a playground, a basketball or soccer pitch. The time for excuses is over, something has got to be done. If Minister Mary Hanafin doesn't do something soon I think I'll just have to start a charity myself "Playgrounds for All" - I'm sure the generous people of Ireland would support it. - Yours, etc.,
Maeve Martin, Ard Gaoithe, Clonmel, Co Tipperary.