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Residents "at their wits end" due to anti-social behaviour in Gracedieu area of Waterford City

Residents "at their wits end" due to anti-social behaviour in Gracedieu area of Waterford City

Residents of another Waterford City housing estate are said to be "at their wits end" because of anti-social behaviour.

Councillor Frank Quinlan says that like with Templars Hall, young people are coming from all over to drink and party at Carn Glas in Gracedieu.

He told Déise Today that the situation is getting out of control:

"The trouble and the anti-social behaviour in this estate with these gangs of teenagers gathering, drinking, smoking - doing all sorts of abusive behaviours to themselves and kids... Residents just do not know what to do about it.

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"The Gardaí are called on a regular basis. They're probably not doing as many patrols as they should because the guards are well aware of the gangs that are congregating in the estate and none of the teenagers are actually from the area."

Continuing, Councillor Quinlan said there was one occasion very recently which is a prime example of the point he's making:

"On the 20th of July, just recently, they all gathered early in the afternoon with bags and trays of cans and the guards were called. But low and behold, that evening - and the residents knew it was going to kick off as soon as the drink was consumed - the amount of teenagers getting sick and shouting and roaring was just unbelievable.

"The residents couldn't figure out why the guards didn't come up and move them on before it kicked off."

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He says that, while patrols are carried out in the area on occasion, there needs to be more of a collaborative approach to this problem.

The situation has gotten to the point where local chlidren are afraid to play in their own estate:

"The children cannot even go out on the greens anytime of the day or night, with the intimidation from these teenagers. They're shouting, they're roaring, they're foul-mouthed, they're drinking, they're taking drugs openly.

"They have no fear whatsoever.

"Myself and Cllr Éamon Quinlan had a Zoom call [with the guards] to see what can be done and try to work with the Gardaí rather than against them. But these teenagers are gone so far down this road, it's going to be very difficult to get them to turn around at this stage."

In relation to Templars Hall, another local councillor is urging anyone who witnesses this kind of anti-social behaviour to contact the Gardaí straight away.

John Hearne says every incident needs to be reported:

"[Gardaí] know of the problems and they know the houses they're dealing with. They just need people to phone in to give them the information on the night.

"If there's anybody kicking off anywhere, or any trouble anywhere, phone it into them because the first they hear about some of the problems is on the radio. If you don't phone the guards, instead of going on Facebook, you're really doing everybody a disservice.

"When anybody is messing, they need to know."

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