‘Drug gangs use fear and violence to terrorise’

The largest representative body of drug projects in the country has called for a national debate on decriminalisation.

The CityWide Drugs Crisis Campaign said the drugs problem was worse than ever and that gangs were “controlling large swathes of our neighbourhoods” by intimidation and violence.

The umbrella organisation — which represents community and voluntary drug groups nationwide — said gangs were recruiting young children to move drugs, money and firearms.

Publishing a policy document and launching a new drugs alliance, including unions, church bodies and artists, CityWide accused the Government of lacking the political will to deal with the drugs crisis and of undermining its own drugs strategy.

In a new departure, CityWide has decided to enter into a potential political minefield by calling for a debate on decriminalisation.

“There is a need for an open debate about decriminalisation in Ireland,” said the report. “International evidence shows that decriminalisation initiatives do not result in significant increases in drug use.”

Speaking at the launch, CityWide chairwoman Anna Quigley said this was a new issue for them: “It’s never been discussed in CityWide before. It has come up, but we kept away from it,” she said.

“We know there are very different views on it and people have very strong views, but there is an awareness that with the levels of violence, fear and intimidation people feel now, at least we should have a discussion around decriminalisation.”

The report said “whole communities were in a state of fear” because of intimidation by gangs. It said while intimidation was not new, it had become “more violent and lethal”, largely due to the availability of firearms.

It said intimidation ranged from threats, to homes being petrol bombed, to physical assaults and even murder.

It added there were local reports of an increase in suicides connected with drug debts — debts which were often passed on to families. The report also said gangs were using the homes and gardens of innocent people to hide drugs.

It said a relatively new phenomenon was the engagement of young people in gangs who were sworn to secrecy. It added drug use was normalised in many communities and drugs were even being delivered to people’s doors.

Ms Quigley said voluntary groups on the ground felt they were “working on a battlefield”, with little support from the State.

CityWide member Fergus McCabe said the Government was moving away from a partnership approach with local organisations and that this was undermining the national drugs strategy.