Ms Cheryl Kelly:

I have been supporting women who have an addiction to crack cocaine in Donore since August 2024. We are really struggling to get funding for an evidence-based contingency management programme. I have written funding proposals and sent them to the powers that be but they have been refused. Contingency management is evidence-based and has been shown to reduce drug use in women. It offers real tangible incentives for people to reduce their drug intake, especially their use of cocaine and crack cocaine. However, we are finding it very difficult to receive funding. It is there and we are ready to go but there is no money to run the programme.