Child, 8, used by gang to collect drug debts on bike

Speaking at the special session on drug-related intimidation at the Dublin City Council's Joint Policing Committee, Sinn Féin councillor Daithí Doolan said the drugs economy was 'embedded' in some communities.

A child aged just eight is being used by a drug gang to collect a drug debt from a family that has paid out a total of €30,000 so far, a council committee has heard.

And the Garda officer leading efforts to target drug-related intimidation told the committee he was aware of drug debts as high as €200,000.

The meeting was informed An Garda Síochána had “grave concerns” about legalisation of drugs and was against both legalisation and decriminalisation.

Speaking at the special session on drug-related intimidation at the Dublin City Council's Joint Policing Committee, Sinn Féin councillor Daithí Doolan said it was an “insidious and hugely complex” crime.

The councillor for Ballyfermot and Drimnagh said the drugs economy was “embedded” in some communities.

It pays for the communions, christenings, confirmations, houses, second homes, holidays, the new bike, the new car.” 

He said drug dealing was “ring-fenced” by violence. 

He told of one woman whose son owed €30,000 in drug debt to a local gang.

“She paid the 30 grand and the last time, we were giving our support, we said ‘you need to tell the people you have no more money, you can't pay anymore’. ‘Sur, I don't see them — it's an eight-year-old that comes on a bike and collects the money. I give them the money and they go'.” 

Detective Superintendent Sé McCormack of the Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau said research in 2018 found there was a broad range of drug debts, up to €50,000.

“I personally have heard of up to €200,000,” he told councillors. “It affects all communities. It affects Garda members. I know of one member whose family had to move house because they were being intimidated because their daughter was a member of An Garda Síochána. They were being constantly intimidated in relation to drugs and drugs being planted around the property.” 

He said “in general” if a family pays a drug debt, the dealers will keep demanding money.

'Normalisation' of drug use

He said there was an issue with the “volume and scale” of the drugs trade and a “normalisation” of drug use.

Det Supt McCormack said getting individuals and families affected by drug-related intimidation to come forward was a serious challenge and that a programme, called DRIVE, had been established to bring oversight to the response and to gather data on the scale of the problem.

He said drug users needed to realise there is a “consequence” of using drugs.

He said the scale of the drugs trade was a “challenge to the authority and legitimacy” of the State and that society “must confront” it.

Asked what was the Garda Síochána’s position on legal options being considered by the Citizens’ Assembly on Drugs, Assistant Commissioner for Dublin and former head of the Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau Angela Willis said the organisation had “grave concerns” about any legalisation of drugs and that the organisation did not support either decriminalisation or legalisation.

Her crime report showed there were 342 drug-related intimidation incidents in Dublin in 2021, 368 in 2022 and 90 to April 2023.