Drugs and homeless group fears HSE funding cuts

An Irish group which helps drug addicts and the homeless has said any further cuts to its funding in the upcoming Budget would be disastrous.

Merchant's Quay Ireland has said that its funding from the HSE dropped by 1% this year, while its running costs rose by 5%.

The charity is launching its annual report today, which shows that the numbers of people seeking help from the organisation has increased by more than a third.

Spokesperson Dermot Kavanagh has said any more cuts to funding would undo a lot of hard work.

"We feel that we have spent the last 10 years or more dealing with the problems created in the 1980s and now it looks like we are starting down on the path of cutting these services again for short-term financial gain," he said.