Anger and disappointment have been strongly expressed in towns not included in the Minister for Justice's new closed-circuit television (CCTV) expansion scheme.
In Clonmel there was "Anger at town CCTV snub", the Nationalist and Munster Advertiser said. "There is a huge demand for CCTV in the town," it said.
Clonmel has not been included in this phase of the scheme that proposes to have CCTV systems in Athlone, Bray, Clondalkin, Dundalk, Dun Laoghaire, Finglas, Galway, Limerick, Tallaght and Waterford between 2001 and 2002. The paper quoted the Mayor of Clonmel, Cllr Brian O'Donnell as saying: "This is without doubt a snub. Once more we have been overlooked." The paper called on the Government to increase the amount of money they plan to spend on the CCTV scheme.
The next phase of the scheme is due to come into effect in 2003. The paper speculated that "by then there will be a change in government, and there may well be a change in policy".
The Westmeath Examiner said it was "difficult to understand the failure to recognise the validity of the submission of the Mullingar Town Commission on CCTV".
Mullingar was not among the 10 towns chosen. The paper said this was "a bad blow for Mullingar's anti-crime battle", and there was widespread disappointment among the town's public representatives and political leaders. There was dissatisfaction that Athlone had been among the 10 chosen while Mullingar was not. The paper quoted the Fine Gael TD Mr Paul McGrath as saying: "It strikes me as another case of when it comes down to either Mullingar or Athlone, Athlone gets the goods."
The citizens of Waterford are fortunate enough to be among the chosen few. "Smile, You're On CCTV camera!" said The Munster Express, which reports that CCTV will be on the streets by 2002.
The paper said Garda CCTV systems had demonstrated their role in crime prevention and detection as well as public reassurance. "Since its introduction, Garda authorities have confirmed its success and advised that assaults, drug-dealing and on-street crime have dropped appreciably where cameras are in place."
In Armagh, however, where the system has recently been installed, its usefulness has been called into question. The Armagh Observer reported that a Sinn Fein councillor had cast doubt over the success of the system following a recent spate of burglaries.
"Cllr Sean McGirr has asked why those who broke into city-centre premises last Friday night were not spotted on camera. He believes the costly system has failed an early test."
Cllr McGirr told the paper that business people should not be fooled into thinking their premises were safe because of the cameras, as most premises were entered from the rear and they should not be "lulled into a false sense of security".
The paper also quoted him as saying: "CCTV is nothing more than a cosmetic exercise."
The lack of accommodation for Traveller families in the south-east was reported in the Wexford People. Over 100 Traveller families are on the local authority housing list and are living in conditions which the paper describes as "a living hell".
It said anyone wanting to see Third World poverty need only go to Ballylough on the road between Enniscorthy and Ferns where three families from the Travelling community were living "in conditions which are the stuff of hell.
"There is no running water; no lavatory, nowhere for children to play in safety," the paper said. The caravans are damp and "vermin is a constant problem". The paper quotes the official in charge of the Traveller accommodation programme, Mr Peadar McDonald as saying: "Where these people are now is definitely not suitable. It is the worst possible location."
Travellers in Birr are living in appalling conditions, according to the Midland Tribune.
The paper reported Ms Philomena Kavanagh-Neavyn of the Birr Travellers & Settled Community group as saying most Travellers in the town were still living in caravans seven years after being promised accommodation by the government. "One of them, a woman, was lucky she wasn't killed recently. A lorry smashed into her caravan on the Tullamore road."
New Traveller accommodation units in Westmeath have been hailed as a success according to the Westmeath Independent. Seven families who had been living in "turbulent" conditions at Four were now living in the units, at Torpan Beg, Ballyforan.
A senior executive engineer for housing, Mr Kieran Madden, told the paper the families were delighted with the accommodation. "They were slightly sceptical at the start but they are absolutely delighted about what they have now. They are delighted with them and they are in super condition."
A Westmeath parish priest has "hit out" at the GAA for arranging match fixtures that clash with Mass, the Westmeath Examiner reported.
Father Philip Smith, Ballymore parish priest, said: "I know how difficult it can be for players to choose between Mass and football." Father Smith did, however, wish the Ballymore players well on the Milmore Gaels team.
