Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 1 December 2021

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health

Substance Misuse and its Impact on Communities: Discussion

Ms Grace Hill:

I will. I thank the Deputy. I passed the last question to Mr. Hamilton because I knew he had the answer ready to go. It was a brilliant answer.

Drug-related debts and intimidation are things we have been highlighting. We have been working on those issues since approximately 2012. Ms Quigley will know that the National Family Support Network was hugely instrumental in developing that drug-related intimidation report and programme.

Debt is a bit different with regard to crack cocaine use. As Mr. Hamilton said, people are using bigger amounts of the drug more often and more quickly. They are, therefore, building up bigger amounts of debt quite speedily. As I said in my presentation at the start of the meeting, some women presenting to services have had to engage in prostitution in order to pay off drug debts. That is frightening stuff.

We are trying to deal with the issue in Tallaght. The introduction of designated inspectors to deal with the intimidation issue has been welcomed and has worked well. Our family support services are on the ground and trying to support families who are targeted as a result of debt. We recently set up a support service in CARP in Killinarden. It is an advice clinic for intimidation and drug debt issues. That is welcome.

We are struggling with these issues, as was reflected in the report. We have been active on the ground in addressing the issues. It has gone up another level and crack cocaine is a game-changer, as Mr. Hamilton said.