Inner city drug problem worsening, says activist

There have been more drug-related deaths in Dublin's inner city in the past year than in any year previously, a church service for drug users and their families was told last night.

Addressing the fifth annual Service of Commemoration and Hope in Seán McDermott Street, Ms Sadie Grace, chairwoman of the Citywide Family Support Network, said there had been eight such deaths in a 10-week period during the summer.

"This is very typical of what's happening in other communities right across the city. More young people are starting to use and there are more drugs for them to take, like cocaine, which is now sweeping through our communities."

While it was difficult to get accurate figures for the number of drug-related deaths, given that such deaths were not always recorded as being linked to drug use, Ms Grace told The Irish Times yesterday the sense in the community was that there had been more in the past year than in any 12-month period before.

"We now have a sub-committee involving people from the Department of Health, the Department of Justice and the City Coroner with the view to setting up an index of drug-related deaths," she said.

It was a sensitive issue for families and the gathering of data would take this into account, Ms Grace added.

It was hoped that the initiative would be under way on a pilot basis before the end of the year.

"Let's be very clear about one thing," she said. "This drugs crisis is too deeply-rooted to be turned around in a couple of years and we will be dealing with this for many years into the future."

She said drugs and drug-related deaths were not getting the attention they once did. The National Drugs Strategy must be made a political priority, she added.

Last night's service was attended by the President, Mrs McAleese, the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, and the Minister of State with responsibility for the drugs strategy, Mr Noel Ahern.