6 Country Reports on Youth Work - Jugendpolitik in Europa

pattern was consistent across the five municipalities and closely in line with the analysis
included in the previous National Statistical Report of 90% ‘hanging around outside’ [National
Children’s Office Study, 2005).
Table 36: Activities of young people in Irish municipalities
86
Source: McGrath and Lynch (2007: 21)
Further scrutiny of the above table, which reveals the pattern of young people’s activities in
East Cork, shows a sharp contrast with the trends revealed in the National Statistical Report.
Only 1.3% of young people in East Cork were engaged in hobbies compared with 65.2%
nationally. Equally remarkable was the low level of participation in sports (7%) compared with
88% nationally. While only 6% reported that they drank alcohol, the qualitative data in the
McGrath and Lynch study (2007: 22-23) indicates that alcohol and to a lesser extent drugs
are endemic in youth culture in East Cork.
McGrath and Lynch (2007: 17) recorded that 79.1% of the young people in their survey
answered ‘no’, when asked if they thought there were adequate faculties in their town for
young people. Only 5.5% said ‘yes’, that there were adequate facilities. A further 9.1% gave
a qualified response (see Table 37).