Teens urged to boycott businesses over noise device

YOUNG people have been urged to boycott businesses that install new security devices to target their ability to hear high-pitched noises.

The National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI) said the Mosquito youth-repellents discriminate against young people and should be fought under the Equal Status Act.

Its assistant director James Doorley made the call as Letterkenny Town Council in Donegal moved to become the first public body to install the high-pitched irritants in a public place.

The devices exploit the fact human’s hearing deteriorates with age and they release a piercing sound only people under the age of 25 can hear.

“Obviously we are very concerned about the use of these devices especially by town councils who would prefer to push young people away rather than provide alternative activities for them.

“The best way to respond is for people not to give business to those who install these devices,” Mr Doorley said.

“We are certainly asking anybody who is affected by these devices to contact the Equality Authority to see if this can be challenged under the Equal Status Act,” he said.

Yesterday the Equality Authority said it has had no contact from young people about how these devices discriminate against them.

Ironically the Equal Status Act itself discriminates against children by not covering people under the age of 18.

Mr Doorley said until this aspect of legislation is changed it was the responsibility of those between 18 and 25 years-of-age to challenge the legitimacy of the Mosquito devices.

“Unfortunately people under the age of 18 are not covered by the Equal Status Act which is something we are lobbying to change.

“It is a problem right across the board even for young people with disabilities who are not covered because they are under 18.

“Recently we have met with all the main political parties to push this issue and it is one of the main things for us ahead of the General Election,” he said.

The Mosquito devices are supplied by a small number of companies including Mac Securities in Letterkenny.

Its manager Roy Capell said the units are not anti-young people but are there to protect businesses which have had significant problems with loitering and vandalism.

“These are not designed to keep customers from businesses or interfere with law abiding people.

“They can be switched on to protect businesses which have a serious problem with loitering or buildings where the location means there is not a lot of supervision and they frequently attacked,” he said.

More than 100 of these devices have been supplied to businesses around Ireland since they hit the market at the end of last year.

Demand has been strong and Mr Capell said some businesses have returned to order multiple units to cover their entire premises.

Teen-free zones

MOSQUITO devices are a British invention designed to deter people under the age of 25 from gathering in certain areas by using high-pitched noises.

They work in the same way as rodent repellents — that is by releasing a sound which is only audible to young people.

They have been available in Ireland since the end of last year with a company in Donegal and another in Dublin leading the supply market.

So far more than 100 units have been sold at a approximate cost of €900 plus an installation fee.

Shopping centres, corner shops and takeaways have been leading the demand to stop young people congregating outside their businesses.

This week, Letterkenny became the first town council to install the technology in a public place.

The small box-like devices are fitted at first floor height and look like a blacked-out sensor-light.

They project the sound in the direction they are pointed at.

The noise is confined to a couple of metres either side of the box.

Already companies are buying multiple devices to cover the entire area they wish to keep teenager-free.