Are Ennis residents in fear of teenagers?

AN irrational blanket fear of teenagers in Ennis has resulted in a campaign from residents opposing the provision of a new youth café on the outskirts of the town, a local county councillor has claimed.
Councillor Brian Meaney believes ephebiphobia (the irrational fear of young people) is causing harm to young people and adults in the locality following street demonstrations from householders in Cloughleigh over the location of a proposed youth and community resource building on Cloughleigh Road.
Members of the newly formed Residents for Relocation of Ennis Youth Community Resource Building protested outside Clare County Council’s headquarters at New Road, Ennis on Friday to coincide with the visit of Environment Minister John Gormley and handed him a letter of protest.
The group is taking legal advice on the procedures followed for Ennis Town Council’s Part Eight process and what their next course of action will be.
Councillor Meaney stressed the “crippling” fear of youths and teenagers in Ennis has to be confronted and understood in the context of the debate over the youth café.
“Some of the statements being voiced against the youth resource centre proposal are astounding. If such comments were directed at any other group in society, there would be accusations of discrimination and prejudice.
He cited an example from a recent newspaper article which stated, ‘It is obvious that many areas of the town are affected by drugs and anti-social behaviour. Therefore any congregation of 14 to 18 –year –olds, particularly at night, is going to result in some being drawn into such behaviour.’
“If you exchange the words 14 to 18-year-olds with the words Traveller or foreign national,” Councillor Meaney claimed the speaker would be accused of bigotry and intolerance.
He added that these comments are being directed at a group going through the most turbulent period of their lives from childhood to adulthood, coping with the pressures of exams and trying to “fit in”.
“As long as there have been modern humans, there has been the troubled teenage years full of raging hormones, mood swings risk-taking and the rest of the teenage issues. There have been changes in the family, local community and culture that has made the transition from childhood to adult even more complex than before and perhaps it is the complexity of that change that is creating the fear. However, if we don’t tackle this dread, we will become a nation fearful of our young people.
“These are our young people, these are our teenagers and as a society, we need to ensure they are allowed to develop without judgement or prejudice. As adults, we need to face our fears and move beyond them to a position of tolerance and understanding. We need to provide them with opportunities where they can learn how to behave and to give them meaningful work to do.
“We need to encourage them to behave responsibly but this won’t happen with outright condemnation of them as if they were some alien species. They deserve a safe environment that is properly supervised and managed. It will benefit all of society if we face down our phobia of teenagers and see them in a more positive light,” he said.
However, a group spokeswoman accused Councillor Meaney of trying to “muddy the waters” and stated the only people who had suffered from discrimination were householders living in Cloughleigh Road, Hermitage and Circular Road who weren’t consulted before local town councillors approved this proposal.
She pointed out most of the residents in these areas had family members who had benefited from Clare Youth Services over the last 40 years and appreciated what had been done in the county and the town.
In view of the recent flooding on the Cloughleigh Road connecting to Mill Road, she questioned the suitability of the site considering the town council had almost completed the Flood Relief Works in the town.
“We are prepared to discuss the relocation of this building. It seems to be tied up with funding because a grant of €357,000 is available if this facility is built in a RAPID area. Most of the people directly affected by this facility are between the age of 55 and 90.
“No one on Cloughleigh Road saw the site notice and residents requested a meeting with the town council as soon as they became aware of this proposal,” she said.
Ennis town manager, Ger Dollard stressed a site notice was put in place advertising this development and he was supported at a recent council meeting by town engineer, Eamon O’Dea.