State funding to tackle drugs crisis in disadvantaged areas is 'minimal'

Drugs campaigner, Fergus McCabe (pictured), who died in October last year, "was there for campaigning, innovative approaches, bringing people together, calling people to account and calling people out, including at national meetings.” Photo: Moya Nolan

Community drug groups have hit out at the “very minimal” State funding to tackle the drugs crisis in disadvantaged areas.

But the CityWide Drugs Crisis Campaign welcomed comments made by Taoiseach Micheal Martin on the need to address the underlying social and economic factors driving drug problems. 

The Taoiseach addressed the Fergus McCabe Memorial Conference, in memory of the drugs campaigner who died in October 2020.

#Citywide25 https://t.co/MCq93D1YfV

— Citywide (@drugscrisis) November 18, 2021

Mr Martin praised the “extraordinary legacy” of Mr McCabe on national drugs policy, saying the youth worker “championed the needs of disadvantaged communities and socially excluded groups”.

He said central to his legacy was the adoption of national drug strategies and said the Government's commitment was reflected in Budget 2020 funding of €6m for new initiatives.

He said Fergus McCabe, a founding member of CityWide, was “very aware” of the links between disadvantaged communities and problem drug and alcohol use.

The Taoiseach said the Drogheda Review of last March and last week’s report of the Tallaght Local Drugs and Alcohol Task Force have again highlighted this issue.

He said the priority of the Government is to “address the social factors driving drug use in disadvantaged communities” including unemployment, poverty and social exclusion, as well as criminality, intimidation, grooming of young people and anti-social behaviour.

He said the model in Dublin’s North East Inner City has had “significant success” and is relevant to other areas and the Government is committed to applying the lessons learned. Anna Quigley, coordinator of CityWide, welcomed the Taoiseach’s emphasis on social-economic factors.

Incredibly powerful input from Maureen Penrose - 'when your child takes drugs something inside of you curls and dies' Importance of #welcoming, #comprehensive #nonjudgemental #caring community-based projects-where are the peer groups gone? 'For shame' to bypass them #Citywide25 pic.twitter.com/w6gaLsnx1k

— CommunityWorkIreland (@CommWorkIreland) November 18, 2021

“That’s something we very much welcome. We are all aware in our own communities of the real strong link with drugs,” she said.

She said the recent report in Tallaght described the extent of the problems communities are facing.

“We have to say in that context the amount of money being spoken about nationally is very, very minimal,” Ms Quigley said. “Obviously, people are glad for any increase in budget, but when you look at that across the country they do come down to quite small amounts.” 

She said that instead of building relations with communities that health authorities are “going in the wrong direction”.

On her close friend and colleague, she said: “Fergus was there for campaigning, innovative approaches, bringing people together, calling people to account and calling people out, including at national meetings.”