Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)

Sinn Féin tabled a comprehensive motion on this subject in May and I welcome the opportunity to speak about the issue of drugs in Ireland. When we turn on our television sets we see the problem of drug abuse in soap operas and films. One can see the problems with drugs outside one's own door in many areas. I would argue that one could find drugs being taken in every pub in Dublin. I would be surprised if there was even one nightclub in Dublin where one could not find drugs.

We must decide whether there is simply a difficulty or a crisis. I believe it is a crisis and one that is worsening. Deputy Ardagh alluded to the fact that there has been a 35% increase in heroin seizures. Cocaine seizures have grown by 1,600% in the past six years. While I welcome these seizures, the country is awash with drugs and only a certain section is being detected. Others have spoken of the role of the CAB and the gardaí and I am supportive of their work, but I do not remember the last time the CAB moved on a drug dealer in my area. Perhaps they have done so but I am not aware of it. It is not happening enough. Many gangs have been operating in my area for the past ten to 15 years. The gardaí know who they are — I know who they are — and they are causing misery and death in my area.

I was told today about a young addict who has abscesses on many of his veins and, in desperation, he is injecting into his groin. What can any elected representative say to that young person to help get him off drugs? We must be able to tell addicts that programmes and facilities are available to them should they want to come off drugs in the morning. The problem is that it may take up to 12 months to get treatment — it is even longer in some areas. We cannot tell young people seeking help that facilities are available to them.

What does one say to a father or mother whose son or daughter has died of an overdose? I do not know how many such funerals I have attended. The son of friends of mine died on a toilet bowl with a needle injected into his arm. What can one say to that family? One has to look them in the eye and tell them one is trying one's best to ensure it does not happen to any other child. The only way to do this is by waking up to the crisis that exists. I am not trying to score points for the Opposition when I say that a crisis exists. One only has to talk to people to recognise that. It is in our faces every day.

I have seen many talented, energetic, intelligent and bright young people turned into living wrecks. I have grown up with people who have died from drug abuse. People are seeking leadership on this. It is not a party political matter. We should acknowledge the crisis and provide the facilities. A Minister from the Limerick area addressed this debate earlier. Why is methadone not available for addicts in the Limerick area? Why must addicts from Limerick, Cork and Arklow come to Dublin for services? How can a person seeking to move beyond his or her addiction gain employment if his or her treatment entails travelling to Dublin for methadone, counselling or other treatment?

A recent "Prime Time" broadcast showed problem areas around the country where local representatives said they agreed with helping addicts but not in their backyard. There is a responsibility on all public representative, particularly TDs, to support services in local areas. This means standing up to bigots living in the area and those people who are living in cloud cuckoo land and do not realise the crisis that exists.

It also means supporting needle exchange programmes. Many people have difficulty with this notion. I mentioned a young person who was injecting into his groin. One can only imagine the effect that a lack of clean needles will eventually have on him. The importance of offering clean needles is that addicts are being brought into centres where they can avail of services. These people are at risk from diseases like hepatitis C, AIDS, HIV etc. Hopefully they will accept help.

If an addict is seeking help it should be available. It is not currently available and that is why I am calling for more services to be put in place. It is not as if this is a poor country that does not have the resources. I cannot understand why we are not doing this. Many areas have community facilities with available space but we are not using them. It seems that there are difficulties between the HSE and the local communities as to who will be in charge.

Addicts' families need support too. The voluntary drug treatment element needs to be worked on. The fifth pillar is rehabilitation. This is essential in bringing addicts into employment and living their lives to the fullest extent. We need to support addicts as much as possible. Unfortunately, this pillar has fallen down. My party has been associated with trying to combat the drugs problem. We do not have all the answers, but many of us live in areas that are affected by it. I am in daily contact with families seeking help and I need to be confident enough to tell those families that help is available for them.

Addicts who inject cocaine inject more often than those who inject heroin. Many of them inject the same points in their legs, arms, groin or neck, which causes major problems.

The cocaine abuse problem is getting worse. It affects all stratas of society but, unfortunately, the communities that suffered the worst heroin problem are now experiencing the cocaine problem. We are dealing with abuse of cocaine, heroin and benzodiazepines. People talked about the legal drugs including sleeping drugs, cough medicines and hashish. The country is awash with those drugs. Young Irish people and older people appear to take more drugs than their counterparts in any other European nation. That is a worrying development. In the past people talked about the Irish fondness for alcohol but we appear to have a fondness for other drugs also. We must wake up to this crisis and support those people looking for help.

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