The Principal of a Waterford primary school says their school yard is destroyed in broken glass and littered with drug paraphernalia on an almost daily basis.

Gangs of teenagers have been hanging out on the grounds of St Mary’s Boys National School in Ferrybank in the evenings and weekends.

This week the school has been forced to close off their shed area because it’s not safe for the boys as a result of the anti-social behaviour.

Principal of the school is Gerard Duggan says they shouldn’t have to be cleaning up that mess.

“The safety of our pupils is first and foremost in our minds every single day,” he says, “our caretaker has had to spend up to a half an hour cleaning the yard to make it safe. This is a job that he shouldn’t have to be doing.”

He says it’s hard to prevent people from entering the school grounds, but he says that the gardaí should be contacted in the event of anti-social behaviour.

“The guards would love to be contacted… we need the place to be kept safe, clean and tidy for the pupils of the school.”