Increasing number of Eastern European immigrants fall on hard times

INCREASING numbers of Eastern European nationals are using the services offered by one of the largest charities for homeless people and drug users in Ireland.

Merchants Quay Ireland (MQI) is also seeing a rise in the number of injecting drug users seeking treatment for the first time.

MQI director Tony Geoghegan said the State urgently needed to direct resources towards helping people from the new EU states who had fallen on hard times here.

He said that by the end of September 2005, they were seeing an average of between 20 and 30 homeless Eastern Europeans attending their services every day.

“We have seen an increase in the number of people from the new EU member states for whom the dream of well paid employment and a better life has unfortunately ended in homelessness and disillusionment,” Mr Geoghegan said. “This growing phenomenon poses its own particular challenges for us as service providers. If we are to effectively support homeless persons and drug users from Ireland’s new communities, additional targeted funding needs to be put in place.”

Speaking at the launch of the body’s annual report for 2005, he said: “The continued reluctance of the State to address this issue impacts negatively on voluntary groups like ourselves who are struggling to address this crisis.”

Mr Geoghegan said 450 new injecting drug users attended their Health Promotion Unit last year, an increase of 6% on 2004. “We are greatly concerned that the numbers of new injectors we are seeing remains so high. Changing trends and patterns in drug use, such as the increased availability and use of cocaine, have also impacted on our services.

“Our city centre-based Health Promotion and needle exchange programmes remain very busy, a fact that reflects the need for accessible needle exchange services in all areas where injecting drug use is an issue.”

MQI provides a range of services to homeless people and drug users including medical and counselling services, outreach and family support services, a crisis contact facility as well as accommodation and training programmes.