Pub staff training on drugs and alcohol expanded to county

UNIQUE training for publicans and their staff on drugs and alcohol, which has helped cut public order offences in Cork city, has been expanded to the county and Kerry.

Every publican from Youghal’s 26 bars attended the first day of the Club County Cork Alcohol and Drugs Awareness programme in the town yesterday.

The programme aims to increase awareness of the negative effects of alcohol and drug misuse.

Its expansion to county towns follows the success of the Club Cork programme introduced in 2004.

Developed by the Health Service Executive’s (South) Health Promotion Department in partnership with An Garda Siochána and local publicans, it has resulted in a dramatic reduction in public order offences across the city.

Senior gardaí attribute this drop in part to the success of the initiative.

Funded by the Southern Regional Drugs Task Force, more than 350 city-based bar and club owners, and staff, have taken part.

Youghal publicans attended their first day of training yesterday.

Will Moloney, who owns the Usual Place, a 150-capacity sports bar aimed at under 30s, attended with two staff members.

“We all have to accept that drugs are a problem,” he said.

“And at end of the day, we don’t need to know where the drugs are made, we need to recognise the specific signs to look out for.

“I’m certainly more aware now of what to look out for, the tell-tale signs.

“It’s better to know about this and tackle it before it is a problem. We all need to educate ourselves.”

There are plans to introduce the programme in other towns where a drug problem has been identified, including Cobh, Fermoy and Mitchelstown. It has already been delivered in Mallow, Dingle and Tralee.

As well as alcohol and drug awareness, the course also covers conflict resolution, effective communication skills, licensing laws, basic first aid and emergency response awareness.

Gardaí also deliver a session on ID cards, blood alcohol concentration and legal driving limits.

HSE Health Promotion Officer Aoife Ní Chonchúir delivers the course.

“The aim is to educate and inform those working in a pub/club environment about the negative consequences of drug and alcohol misuse,” she said.

“This course focuses on the signs and symptoms of illicit drug use and intoxication, for example what signs to look out for if a customer has taken cocaine, ecstasy etc.”

Publicans interested in attending the course should contact the HSE South’s Health Promotion Department on 021-4921641.