Louth TD criticises omission of groups in consultation on next drugs strategy

The Family Addiction Support Network (FASN), based in Dundalk, was one of a number of organisations before the Oireachtas Committee on Drugs Use last week, where Louth Sinn Féin TD Ruairí Ó Murchú highlighted the funding issues facing them and criticised the fact that these groups had been excluded from consultation on the next drugs strategy (NDS).

The committee heard how addiction support organisations around the State continue to battle for funding to stay in existence, despite the fact that their workload is increasing and also heard how the NDS would lack ‘lived experience from families or people who use drugs’.

FASN is an organisation based in Dundalk that covers counties Louth, Meath, Cavan and Monaghan and which offers help, guidance and assistance to the families of those who are in addiction, particularly drug addiction.

Deputy Ó Murchú said there had been a failing around sustainable funding and recalled how Gardaí in the Louth division had previously been deeply involved in fundraisers for FASN in order to assist them to keep the doors open. He said they had faced closure a number of times in the past.

He said that former chief superintendent of An Garda Síochána in Louth, Christy Mangan, is still on the board of FASN. Deputy Ó Murchú told the committee how Gardaí recognise that the Family Addiction Support Network is doing significant work. The organisation offers a service the Garda cannot offer in dealing with families who are going through an absolute disaster. 

He said he was aware of the ‘excellent, necessary work’ that FASN in Dundalk was doing and highlighted how sometimes the people who find themselves under the cosh as regards drug debt and intimidation will make their approaches to this organisation. 

He said there is a need to look at sustainable funding and there needs to be a wider conversation on it and that the Department of Health needs to reconsider its position about excluding the family addiction support networks from inputting their experience into the NDS.