Ms Cheryl Kelly:

I thank the Cathaoirleach and members for the opportunity to speak today and for inviting me here today. My name is Cheryl. I am the facilitator for the women's crack cocaine programme provided by the Donore Community Drug and Alcohol Team. This organisation has worked in Dublin’s south inner city since the 1990s to support people, individuals and families affected by addiction. Every single day, we meet women who are living with the devastating impact of crack cocaine use. These women are among the most vulnerable in our community and often carry the weight of trauma, homelessness, unemployment and care-giving responsibilities.

Traditional services have often failed women and failed to meet their needs because they were designed without women’s realities in mind. In 2024, there were over 13,000 cases treated for problem drug use nationwide, which was the highest ever recorded. Cocaine has now overtaken all other substances as the most common main problem drug reported in treatment. Of particular concern is the surge in women affected. Between 2017 and 2024, the number of females seeking treatment for cocaine increased by 426%, rising from 284 individuals to 1,494. When we look specifically at crack cocaine, in 2024 there were 1,329 drug cases where crack cocaine was the main problem drug. Almost 46% of these cases were women, highlighting the growing gendered impact of this crisis. The median age of entry was 40 and most participants were facing severe socioeconomic challenges, with 82% unemployed, 21% homeless and nearly one in three reporting a history of injecting drug use. Crack cocaine use is rarely isolated as 63.5% of cases involve polydrug use, with opioids, benzodiazepines and cannabis the most common additional substances.

These national figures echo what we see in Donore every day. Since August 2024, the Donore Community Drug and Alcohol Team has piloted a dedicated women’s crack cocaine programme, employing a facilitator to engage directly with women in the south inner city. Already, eight women receive one-to-one support. Six of them are mothers, including one who is currently pregnant. Five are accessing homeless services and one is sleeping rough. Four have disclosed histories of domestic violence, with three still at risk of ongoing abuse. Alongside this, four additional women have begun engaging with the programme, and five more have connected through community outreach, many of whom have not engaged with any services. These women are among the most vulnerable in our community: they are mothers without stable homes, they are women cut off from mainstream services, and they are women at risk of harm from violent partners. Yet they have responded positively to outreach, relationship building and non-judgmental support.

The programme has already shown strong potential but it is clear that without sustainable funding the progress made will be lost. That is why we have sought funding for a pilot contingency management programme tailored specifically for women using crack cocaine in Dublin’s south inner city. This evidence-based approach provides positive reinforcement and real, tangible incentives for behaviours that support recovery. International evidence shows that contingency management is one of the most effective behavioural interventions for addiction. This programme goes further than abstinence alone. Its design is to address the wider social issues these women face, such as poor mental health, poverty and exclusion. It will strengthen interagency collaboration, linking participants with healthcare, child protection and social services. It will also amplify the voices of women themselves, building feedback and co-production into its design and delivery. This pilot programme will directly engage between 15 and 30 women, at least, in its first year, aiming for measurable reductions in drug use, improved health and well-being, stronger family relationships, and fewer women drawn into the criminal justice system. It represents not just an investment in recovery but an investment in stronger families, safer communities and a more compassionate Ireland.

Our current system is failing these women. Crack cocaine dependency, if left unsupported, compounds trauma and drives cycles of harm for individuals, families and communities. The cost of imprisonment, hospitalisation and crisis responses far outweighs the cost of prevention and tailored community-based support. Ireland has committed under the national drugs strategy and Sláintecare to community-based and evidence-led responses to addiction. The team's women’s crack cocaine programme aligns directly with that vision. It is innovative, responsive and urgently needed.

On behalf of the Donore Community Drug and Alcohol Team, I urge the committee to support this programme. The women we work with deserve more than stigma and exclusion. They deserve a pathway to recovery, dignity and hope.