Garda: Heroin addicts need treatment, not jail time

Gardaí say that they cannot tackle the heroin problem on their own, that repeatedly arresting addicts is not the solution, and that pooling resources and ideas from different agencies and the public is the only way to address the issue.

Chief Superintendent Michael Finn made the comments ahead of a meeting next Monday when, for the first time, the Cork City Joint Policing Committee (JPC) will allow the public to air its views on ways to tackle drug addiction.

It is estimated that there are now 500 heroin addicts in Cork, whereas 10 years ago there were no more than 20.