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[Press Release: November 4th, 2005] Communities are under threat from anti-social behaviour says de BurcaGreen Party councillor, Deirdre de Burca has claimed that communities in County Wicklow are increasingly under threat from anti-social behaviour following a recent public meeting in Greystones which highlighted a situation of anti-social behaviour in a local authority estate"."Over 50 local residents turned out to this meeting because of their concern about a violent incident that had taken place in their estate the previous night" says de Burca. "The meeting was well attended by local gardaí and by myself and other elected representatives and it was agreed that the only effective response to anti-social behaviour will involve a partnership between the community, the council and the gardaí". The Green Party councillor claims that an effective and organised community response to anti-social behaviour is essential to avoid a situation where frustrated residents take matters into their own hands. "Certainly there were a number of people at the meeting who felt very alone in dealing with anti-social problems on their doorsteps and this is dangerous because there is often a temptation to deal with the problem oneself, without the support of the community or without involving the Gardaí" says de Burca. De Burca says it is important that residents continue to make complaints to their local garda station about anti-social problems that arise in their area. "Too often I am told when I report anti-social behaviour in particular areas that the gardaí have no record of complaints having been made" she says. "Often people feel there is no point in contacting the Gardaí, or maybe they are reluctant to do so. However, it is important that the gardaí build up a profile of what is happening in a given area and they need people to contact them with their complaints so that they will be able to gather the necessary information. The Green Party councillor says that there are no easy answers to anti-social behaviour and that this behaviour is not limited to disadvantaged or less well-off areas. "As a public representative, I come across these problems in all kinds of residential estates and I believe that the solutions are wide-ranging" she says. "The answer lies somewhere in the area of parents supervising their children to a greater extent, providing more recreational and sporting facilities for young people, having good and effective community gardaí on the beat and involving communities to the greatest extent in discouraging anti-social behaviour in their estates".
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