An intensive street project aimed at diverting young people away from the drugs trade and criminal gangs faces the axe because of an impending funding crisis.

The assistant garda commissioner has pleaded with youths not to get involved in the drugs trade at any level. We must provide initiatives to help, writes Cormac O’Keeffe.

People in positions of power need to go out to communities battling drugs, crime and neglect and put resources into them and give people living there “a chance”, a conference on young people and gangs has heard.