Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am a member of the Mid West Regional Drug and Alcohol Forum which is based in Limerick. I would like to mention a number of groups that are funded by the forum. The community substance misuse team deals with young people with addiction problems. The Northstar Family Support Project deals with families who are affected by a family member's substance misuse. I am proud to be involved with the Limerick City Community Network, which is a voluntary group comprising people across all communities in Limerick city who come together. They receive no funding, but they are supported by the local task force. I also mention the probation and linkage in Limerick scheme, the Ana Liffey Drug Project, the Saoirse addiction treatment centre and Novas Initiatives, all of which are doing great work in Limerick. Unfortunately, I do not believe the national drugs strategy will work because the necessary funding is not being provided to tackle the problem which is conspicuous across the State, particularly in parts of my constituency of Limerick City.

The misuse of drugs in Limerick is increasing almost on a daily basis. The continued failure to resource properly those who are working on the front line against the scourge of drug addiction is simply not acceptable. It is unsustainable and for that reason the problem is getting worse. It depresses me to say the national drugs strategy will fail. If the funding for it is not increased, there is no hope it will achieve its aims. The groups in Limerick that I have mentioned are having a really positive effect on people's lives every single day, but they are starved of funding because the regional forum is not properly resourced. Limerick does not have a detox centre. Most services have lengthy waiting lists and their staff are under great pressure to deliver basic services. It is estimated that upwards of 1,000 people in Limerick are addicted to heroin alone. The Mid West Regional Drug and Alcohol Forum has taken cuts of more than 50% since 2008. During the years such cuts have had a massive impact and prevented the delivery of drug and alcohol services that are urgently needed in Limerick and across the entire mid-west. It is clear that the drugs problem in the city of Limerick is getting worse. The use of heroin, the excessive use of alcohol, problem gambling and the misuse of prescription drugs are causing significant problems across the city and wider region. The Government's failure to fund these groups properly is a clear demonstration of its indifference to the damage and devastation drugs cause to people, families and communities.

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