'Things are only going to get worse': Families affected by drug intimidation hold vigil outside Dáil

A group of families affected by drug intimidation are calling on the Government to take urgent action to protect them saying "things are only going to get worse".

A group of families affected by drug intimidation are calling on the Government to take urgent action to protect them saying "things are only going to get worse".

Around 100 people gathered at Leinster House on Tuesday to demand better supports for families caught up in the fall out of addiction, and warned that communities across Ireland are being devastated by violence and exploitation.

The event, organised by Family Addiction Recovery Ireland (FARI), was held in the aftermath of the deaths of the English family in Waterford, which the organisation described as a direct consequence of drug-related intimidation.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner, the group's chairperson Breda Fell said she felt “profound sorrow and grief” for the family and remembered others who had died as a result of drug-related intimidation.

She said said the gathering was intended to ensure politicians understood the scale of the problem and the impact on families.

“The violence is getting worse" she said. "There are at least 300,000 families affected by addiction in Ireland, that we know of.

"Communities and families are being impacted by it. It’s just a huge, huge issue".

Ms Fell said families were often left suffering in silence, and that there is little or no protection for them.

“For every one person drug user in the country, you will have about six to eight people affected by it,” she said.

She called for the new national drugs strategy to deliver "meaningful responses for families", including community-based supports, early interventions to prevent young people being exploited into the drug trade and properly resourced services.

Two mothers from Waterford, who asked to remain anonymous, spoke of losing their children to addiction and the continuing impact on their families.

One, who has volunteered with the Family Support Network for around 20 years, said she had lost her daughter and was now witnessing a third generation of addiction within her family.

“Nothing has changed, it's all still the same,” she said. “We’re here because we are hoping.”

 

The second mother, who also lost her son, said addiction was an illness but those affected were too often treated as “scum”. 

She said its psychiatric and mental health dimensions had never received sufficient recognition.

Singer Ro Byrne performed at the event and said he was there to show "solidarity with families and victims", saying he hoped to use music to bring positivity to an issue that had caused so much suffering.

“Something has to change,” he said. “That’s why I’m here to try and make a change by singing. That’s all I can do. Try and spread good energy, good vibes, positivity. No negative vibes. 

Addiction is a curse on all those affected by it

FARI is calling for coordinated action across Government, counselling and peer support for families, financial and relocation assistance, and sustainable multiannual funding for frontline community organisations.

It also wants families, communities and people who use substances included in decision-making structures.

Ms Fell said: “We are here today to give voice to all those families and communities. It is a call for action.”