Community groups at the frontline of the drugs crisis are making a final push in urging a State group to recommend decriminalisation of possession of drugs for personal use.

As undertakers mounted the floral displays on to the top of the horse-drawn carriage, the rain turned to sleet.

There is “growing” evidence that drug consumption rooms are able to reach marginalised users, improve injecting practices, and reduce the visibility of public drug use, according to the EU drugs agency.

Gangs are operating a zero tolerance approach to all drug debts, no matter how small, and inflicting violence including murder, according to a new report. 

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has made an early case for decriminalising the possession of drugs just as a high-level expert group is tasked with examining the issue.

There are reasons to the hopeful with the new national drugs strategy. But, there are also reasons to be concerned, writes Cormac O’Keeffe.

A Government setting up a task force sounds impressive. It’s what the Taoiseach told the Dáil on Wednesday. The task force, he said, will deal with the “local situation” in the north inner city.

State childcare services are compounding the distress suffered by grandparents who step in to care for their grandchildren because of their own children’s addiction, research has found.

Grandparents who take on the role of rearing grandchildren in lieu of drug-abusing parents feel taken for granted by social services, according to new research conducted by Trinity College Dublin.

There has been a “dramatic rise” in the number of families traumatised by the loss of a loved one from drug use, a support group has said.

Eight out of 10 families, directly affected by drug addiction favour decriminalisation of drug possession, a survey indicates.

Communities terrorised by drug gangs need more Garda resources as well as “mini” criminal assets bureaus, an Oireachtas committee has heard.

Families living in terror of drug dealers because of debts owed by their children are being urged to use a new confidential system without fear of repercussions.

A national Garda system to help families intimidated by dealers over drug debts is due to be launched in the coming months.

Eastern European gangs are becoming “prominent” traffickers of drugs into Ireland, according to a report.

Pat Herlihy is on edge any time his daughter steps out the door.