Concern as drug rehab projects have funding axed

NEARLY 40 drug rehabilitation projects are having their funding axed, and 11 face closure, a Dáil committee was told yesterday.

The Office for the Minister for Drugs (OMD) told the public accounts committee (PAC) it was “very concerned” at the decision by the Department of Education, which funds the Rehabilitation Aided Support Programme (RASP), and said it had not been consulted beforehand.

The PAC also heard a forthcoming HSE campaign will highlight the dangers posed by “legal highs” sold in “headshops”.