We look back at the stories that were making the news this week in 1983

Poleglass Library will go ahead: Priest

FATHER McWilliams, parish priest of Poleglass, said last night that regardless of a move by Lisburn Council to reject permission for the building of a new library in the area, the library would still be going ahead.

"Irrespective of the decision by Lisburn Council," Fr. McWilliams said, "the building of Poleglass Library, along with  a sport complex, will continue and hopefully will be opened at Easter next year."

At last Thursday's Council meeting Unionist Councillors threw out a planners recommendation to give outline permission to the South Eastern Education and library Board for a new public library In the Poleglass Estate.

Loyalist members of Lisburn Borough Council alleged that by proposing a library complex be built the Department of Education was discriminating against other areas of Lisburn in favour of Poleglass.

Independent Councillor William McDonnell accused the D.U.P. councillors of opposing the scheme because it was to serve a Roman Catholic area.

Family victims of explosion still out of home

WORK on a house, wrecked by an explosion last June in Springfield Avenue, has been disrupted so badly by vandals that the family fear it may be years before they set foot in it again.

Mr. and Mrs. Frank Carleton and their family of seven were temporarily rehoused by the Executive after the blast but their planned return home has been delayed by hoodlums. Explained Mr. Carleton: "These gangsters broke in and stole a closed fire, a bathroom sink and stainless steel taps on different occasions. It's ridiculous that I can't go back to my own house not through my fault or the Housing Executive's but because these thugs are repeatedly breaking In."

Mr. Carleton has found that the temporary accommodation in a Clonard terraced house has been far from adequate for his large family.
"I've a family of seven teenagers in what is basically a two bedroom, one boxroom house."

Now Mr. Carleton is appealing to people near his Springfield Road home to keep a sharp eye out for the thieves who are making life a misery for his family. "The most annoying thing for me is that the people who are stealing the stuff from my home are most likely locals."

Jobs for the boys

A UNIQUE scheme has just started in the Beechmount/Iveagh area of West Belfast. Two young people, fed up with shuffling themselves between government sponsored training schemes and the dole office, have decided to take some drastic steps of their own.

They have set up their own self-help scheme, doing odd jobs for the people of their community.

"The jobs people probably couldn't get done if they had to pay both the workers and the employer," said one of the youths.

"What else is there for us to do? Lying in bed, carry-outs, television, joy-riding, glue – just boredom. It's that which creates the crimes." He continued: "We'll have a go at anything – gardening, painting, whitewashing walls, etc., and do the best we can and be as reasonably priced as possible."

The three young people involved in the project are keen to expand in numbers and encourage other young people to join in their scheme, or set up one of their own. They are particularly anxious to attract people with transport, information on where to get cheap building materials, advice from tradesmen, useful contracts and. publicity.