Asbos have come into legislation this week in Ireland – the fact that they did not work in the UK is irrelevant. We have an election coming up – that is the point – votes. Let’s criminalise some more young people – really not the way forward – it will make us all safer – but that is not the point – there is an election coming up!
As Kathy Sheridan illustrate in her excellent article today in the Irish Times every generation has had problems with their young. It seems that every generation wants to demonise their young, but this generation, for all its wealth and prosperity, are less tolerant (and less willing to pay hard cash to help others). Perhaps you need time and some thinking space to find tolerance – something that many do not seem to have. I would not like to be living in any Dublin suburb trying to bring up a young family, it just looks like a far too difficult job. The time to get to work – the time to get home. Yes there is money – money everywhere – but no money for childcare – for proper city schools. Every cent and Euro we save by not funding these two areas we have to pay for ten times over in the funding of the criminal justice system – what a waste and missed opportunity.
There is an awful sense that people feel the need to blame someone else for whatever is happening – lets blame the young – it does take our eye off any other ballgame.
I would love to see a leading politician stand up and say how well the young of the country are doing – how hard they work at school , at college, at university, and as employees. But more so when this happens – I want the Irish Times and The Independent to print that as a front page story, the media have some responsibility also, if they want to stand up and take it.
I have had the opportunity of living in some countries that Ireland considers itself better than – these countries also have teenager problems – however they are willing to resource the services to help, not here. These countries also have state funded child care, not here. Children from the age of two attend childcare all paid as part of the education system. Some of these European countries have only had independence for 17 years – and we are better than them?
But – hey – we chose asbos.