More than 40 teenagers, older residents and community leaders met at the Rosemount Resource Centre on Wednesday night to discuss recent problems on the streets.

In the past months teenagers have been accused of causing misery for residents who say they are making their lives a living hell by drinking, damaging property and having sex on their doorsteps. And when they are confronted residents say they are bombarded with obscenities and threats.

Tommy McCourt, from the Rosemount Resource Centre, said the meeting was very positive with young people speaking of cleaning up the area and working with older people on the estate.

Committee

He said: "The teenagers have elected a committee of six teenagers to represent the young people in the area.

"They are asking for six residents to meet the six young people and hopefully there will be a follow up meeting.

"The young people have asked us as a centre to investigate whether we can provide courses and activities for them and they want to know whether they can use the centre for regular meetings."

Since the meetings began three weeks ago, Mr. McCourt said there had been little trouble on the estate. He said: "The teenagers said their own behaviour was not acceptable and they understood that. So they asked for a bit of give and take and they said they would like to meet with other residents so they can try and explain their views and come to a shared agreement about what to do."

Mr. McCourt added: "On Monday there will be another meeting to make sure the heavy drinking business stops.

"We don't want it to start up again."