Fears for lives of teen addicts over funding failure

THE lives of drug-abusing teenagers have been put further at risk due to the failure of the HSE to pass on almost e1 million in funding for a treatment centre dealing with clients as young as 12 years.

Documents obtained under the Freedom Of Information Act show that at least €800,000 was allocated to the HSE and rubber-stamped by the Department of Health for the treatment of under-18s with drug problems at the SASSY (Substance Abuse Services Specific to Youth) project in north inner city Dublin.

However, the money was not used to fill the 11 staff positions envisaged in the plan for the service, and the Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist at SASSY, Dr Gerry McCarney, has said he fears children will die unless additional staff are provided.