Drug dealers ‘are heroes to young’

STREET-CORNER dealers are becoming the new role models for youngsters, a drugs forum has heard.

Sinn Féin councillor Larry O’Toole said the new National Drugs Strategy needed to target this worrying development.

“There are pockets of places in the city where there is still open drug dealing,” said the north Dublin representative.

“These pushers are becoming the new type of role model. These people, standing on the corner pushing drugs, are starting to become heroes. Kids are flocking to them.”

Mr O’Toole was speaking at a public forum to discuss the mid-term review of the National Drugs Strategy, which was attended by Minister of State with responsibility for the strategy, Noel Ahern.

Reacting, Mr Ahern said: “I hope to God young people are not modelling themselves on drug dealers. I would hope they are modelling themselves on sport stars and athletes.”

Mr O’Toole’s party colleague and TD for Dublin South Central Aengus O Snodaigh lambasted actor Colin Farrell after he was reported saying he had smoked heroin and thought it was “nice.”

He described the comments as “moronic, offensive and irresponsible.”

Mr Ahern told the forum, held in Dublin on Thursday night, he had this week approved €400,000 towards training frontline staff about cocaine.

Ruairi McCall of the Anna Liffey Drug Project told the forum there had been a rise in homelessness among drug users.

“There needs to be special housing for those who are stable. There also needs to be hostel accommodation, along the lines of a wet shelter, where use of drugs would be tolerated,” Mr McCall said.