SIPTU & CityWide call on Government to recognise the urgency of the national drugs crisis
11 Oct 2005
Jack O'Connor, General President of SIPTU, and Susan Collins of Citywide Drugs Crisis Campaign are making a joint call on the Government to recognise the urgency of the national drugs crisis by committing new resources in the upcoming budget for the development of drug rehabilitation services.
"As major drug seizures take place almost daily, where are the resources to develop the services on the ground for drug users?"
The call is being made at the launch of a report that outlines the experience of local community drug projects, that are struggling to provide rehabilitation services for recovering drug users. The report outlines how local communities, devastated by the drugs crisis, need much greater support from the government and statutory agencies in developing these services.
This report is launched at a time when our national drugs crisis has again become major news. There are now 7,637 people on methadone treatment in Ireland. Recent reports from the DMRD show that the numbers outside of Dublin are growing significantly, indicating how the heroin problem has now spread outside of Dublin. Major drug seizures, including huge amounts of cocaine, are in the news almost daily and surveys of treatment services show the extent to which they are now trying to deal with a rapidly increasing number of problem cocaine users.
The recent Review of the National Drugs Strategy acknowledges the lack of rehabilitation services "one of the most critical gaps is in relation to rehabilitation." As a result of the Review, a working group has been set up by the Dept. of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs to develop "an integrated rehabilitation provision" and report to government by the end of 2005.
In the face of the continuing major drugs crisis in this country, SIPTU and Citywide call on the government
- to ensure that all relevant state agencies accept their responsibility to play a role in drugs rehabilitation
- to make additional resources available in the 2006 budget so that the plan being drawn up by the Departmental Working Group can be implemented without delay.
For further details, contact Citywide at 01-8365090