Finian McGrath: Drug injection centres should be 'in communities, not just in town'

Minister for Disabilities Finian McGrath would be happy to have a drug injection centre in his own constituency.

The Independent Alliance TD has said that the HSE’s strategy for drug injection centres should include the suburbs to avoid creating drug ghettoes in the city centres.

“I feel very strongly about the need to build these centres in communities not just in town.

“People should be treated locally, in their own community. We cannot allow a situation where all the drug treatment centres are in the city centre.

“That’s not good for the city centre, for the addicts or for their families.”

He pointed to the success of the drug treatment scheme in Portugal which was community-based and had seen a reduction of nine per cent in drug use. “That’s the common sense approach.”

Mr McGrath also called for the setting up of drug treatment services in Drogheda because of the recent drug-related violence in the town.

“A combination of a health and social care model and strong policing is needed. The bottom line is we have to deal with the criminals too," he said.