Drug support centre closure blamed on lack of funding

A constant ‘battle’ for funding has led to the closure of a 30-year old award-winning national drug prevention and advisory service at a time when, its founder says, teenagers as young as 14 are using heroin.

Marie Byrne, of the Aisling Group charity in Navan, Co Meath, said the closure comes as drug use reaches ‘epidemic proportions’ in Ireland.

The internationally acclaimed addiction counsellor said children of 11 years old are now binge drinking while teenagers are using heroin from 14 or even younger.