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News Archive 2004
Needle Exchanges In Prisons Safe and Effective
17th November 2004
PRESS RELEASE
Prison Needle Exchange: Lessons from a Comprehensive Review of International Evidence and Experience
When: Thursday 18th November 2004
Time: 10.00 a.m.
Location: Merchants Quay Ireland, 4 Merchants Quay, Dublin 8
A new report released tomorrow, entitled Prison Needle Exchange: Lessons from a Comprehensive Review of International Evidence and Experience, provides the clearest evidence yet that these programmes - now operating in over 50 prisons in 6 countries - are both safe and effective. The report, co-authored by IPRT Executive Director Rick Lines and published by the Montreal-based Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network, concludes that the controlled provision of sterile syringes in prisons:
- reduces risk behaviour and disease (including HIV and Hep C) transmission;
- does not endanger staff or prisoner safety, and in fact, make prisons safer places for both staff and inmates;
- does not increase drug use or injecting;
- has been successfully implemented in a wide variety of prison environments
Following on the publication of the report the Irish Penal Reform Trust (IPRT) and Merchants Quay Ireland (MQI) call upon the Irish Government to implement pilot needle exchange programmes in Irish prisons in order to protect prisoners, prison staff and the public from the further spread of HIV, Hepatitis C and other blood borne infections.
Speaking at the launch Tony Geoghegan, Director of Merchants Quay Ireland stated, "The report further highlights the safety and effectiveness of prison needle exchange programmes and I urge the Minister for Justice Equality and Law Reform and the Minister with responsibility for the National Drugs Strategy to set aside their difference on the issue and to implement these vital programmes before more people are infected and the lives of both prison staff and prisoners are unnecessarily placed at risk."
"The alarming rate of HIV, Hepatitis C and injecting drug use in prisons demands urgent attention," continued Rick Lines, Executive Director, Irish Penal Reform Trust. "Prisoners come from the wider community and most return to it. What is done - or not done - in prisons with regard to HIV/AIDS, hepatitis and injecting drug use therefore has an impact on the health of everyone in Ireland. The National Drugs Strategy endorses the importance of syringe exchange programmes in reducing the transmission of disease among injecting drug users. The evidence is clear that these interventions would also yield significant health benefits for prisoners, prison staff and for the wider community. To provide syringe exchange in prisons is not to condone drug use. Rather, it is a pragmatic public health measure that should accompany other efforts to reduce drug-related harm, such as drug treatment programmes and methadone maintenance. The Government has a moral and legal responsibility take action to prevent the further spread of infectious diseases such as HIV and hepatitis C among prisoners and general the public, and should implement prison syringe exchange programmes, at least on a pilot basis, as a matter or urgency."
Launch Details:
Prison Needle Exchange: Lessons from a Comprehensive Review of International Evidence and Experience
When: Thursday 18th November 2004
Time: 10.00 a.m.
Location: Merchants Quay Ireland, 4 Merchants Quay, Dublin 8
Merchants Quay Ireland Questions Government Commitment to Drugs Strategy
Launch of Annual Report 2003
27th August 2004
Annual Report Launched by Lord Mayor of Dublin, Councillor Michael Conaghan on Friday, August 27th at 4.00pm
The Merchants Quay Ireland Annual Report for 2003, released today shows that the numbers of drug users attending their Health Promotion Unit continued to increase last year, up by 5%,to 3,331. More than 600 new drug users attended the centre over the course of the year.
Speaking at the launch of the report, Tony Geoghegan, the Director of Merchants Quay Ireland said "this level of continued problem drug use shows what happens when a Government fails to resource its own strategy."
"While the development of the National Drug Strategy initially made an impact on the problem, progress has apparently ground to a halt" Mr. Geoghegan continued. "Funding for drugs projects has effectively been cut and plans to develop new services have been repeatly shelved. The Government claims this results from a lack of resources, but with the coffers bursting at the seams, it seems more like a lack of interest in the lives of those affected by this very human tragedy."
"The lack of investment in the drugs strategy means that almost seven thousand heroin users remain outside of the treatment net, extensive waiting lists still exist and in particular the promised increase in services targeted at active drug users such as needle exchange at local level have simply not been delivered. "
Going on to talk about the mid term review of the National Drugs Strategy, Mr. Geoghegan said "this review provides the Government with an opportunity to show that they are, in fact, committed to improving the lives of those affected by the drugs problem by matching their strategies, their promises and their rhetoric with the resources, the imagination and the commitment necessary to transform the lives of drug users in Ireland."
Merchants Quay Ireland is a leading Irish charity working with homeless persons and drug users. The organisation provides services ranging from open access crisis intervention and health promotion services, to day support programmes, educational programmes, vocational training and settlement support services.
Minister Noel Ahern presents FETAC Culinary Skills awards
29th July 2004
PRESS RELEASE
Minister Noel Ahern presents FETAC Culinary Skills awards to twelve formerly homeless people at Merchants Quay on Thursday July 29th at 9:30am.
The Minister for Housing and Urban Renewal, Mr Noel Ahern, TD, today presented twelve formerly homeless persons with the FETAC National Certificate in Culinary Skills at a ceremony hosted by Merchants Quay Ireland.
Merchants Quay Ireland has been offering a catering skills training programme for homeless people and for drug users at its centre on Merchants Quay since 200?. The course, partly funded by Fáilte Ireland, offers a recognised qualification in culinary skills that allows graduates to seek and gain employment in the restaurants and hotels of Dublin. The course participants do their training in the large kitchens at Merchants Quay preparing food for use in the staff canteen and in the meals service for homeless people located there.
Congratulating the course graduates, Tony Geoghegan, the Director of Merchants Quay Ireland said "I am very pleased that Merchants Quay Ireland has been able to host this course over the past four years. In that time it has provided vocational training for dozens of people who had previously been homeless or involved in problem drug use. Many of the previous graduates of this course have gone on to develop careers in restaurants and hotels across Dublin. We are grateful to have had the support of Fáilte Ireland and of our other funders for this programme. I think that initiatives such as this demonstrate very clearly that homelessness or problem drug use are not a dead end, that by addressing the underlying issues such as poverty, unemployment, lack of education and training, you can actually make a real difference.
In his remarks Minister Noel Ahern also praised the commitment and dedication of the trainees for successfully completing the course and wished the graduates every best wish in their future careers.
Hepatitis C Major Risk for Women Using Heroin
2nd April 2004
PRESS RELEASE
Study shows hepatitis C major risk for women using Heroin
New research published by Merchants Quay Ireland (MQI) investigating the health status of drug using women shows that 13 (87%) of 15 women tested had Hepatitis C antibodies in their bloodstream, a key indicator of Hepatitis C infection. Three women had an abnormality in their liver function, possibly indicative of chronic hepatitis.
A total of 17 women participated in the research which involved the establishment of a temporary Women's Health Clinic at Merchants Quay. The researchers worked closely with a doctor and a nurse who carried out a wide range of medical tests. Results indicated that more than two-thirds of the women in the study were homeless and most had reported having experienced a wide range of physical and psychological health problems including general health problems such as asthma, anaemia and above-average rate of abdominal abnormalities.
Psychological problems experienced included depression, anxiety and social isolation. Just under a quarter of those surveyed had been hospitalised because of an attempted suicide. Looking at access to medical services it was found that almost a third had experienced difficulty in accessing treatment in the past. While the vast majority were registered with a GP less than half of them found that that GP was geographically accessible and almost a quarter reported that their medical card was out of date.
Speaking at the launch, Mr Tony Geoghegan, Director of Merchants Quay Ireland, said "Hepatitis C infection amongst drug users is one of the most serious issues facing society today. Our research only serves to confirm what many other researchers have been finding for some years now, the rate of Hepatitis C infection has reached epidemic proportions amongst drug users in Ireland. It affects male and female drugs users alike and can be devastating on the health and well-being of those misfortunate enough to be infected. I call on the Government to attack this issue with the same vigour as it addressed the problem of passive smoking. We need a major public education programme targeted at drug users, we need more extensive needle exchange services that provide advice and support in minimizing the risk of contracting Hepatitis C and we need to consider providing safe injecting facilities, particularly targeted at homeless drug users".
To date little research has addressed the specific health care needs of the female drug users. This exploratory study was co- funded by the Health Research Board.
This research on the health status of drug-using women was one of six reports addressing homelessness and drug use in Ireland brought together in a book of research called "Pieces of the Jigsaw". The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Cllr. Royston Brady officiated at the launch of this new work.
In his remarks Cllr. Brady congratulated Merchants Quay Ireland on the production of this important research: "Taken together these six research reports will provide plenty of interesting reading for all those involved in delivering services to homeless people or drug users and to all those who have a responsibility for developing policy in this area"
Other reports contained in "Pieces in the Jigsaw" include:
Maintaining or Enabling? An Evaluation of a Methadone Prescribing Service in Dublin City. - Marie Lawless & Gemma Cox
This evaluation found that those who stayed on the methadone prescribing programme showed:
- Less likelihood of engaging in risky drug-using behaviour.
- A reduction in the quantity and frequency of drug-consumption.
- A reduction in the frequency of criminal activity.
- A decrease in psychiatric complaints reported and an improvement in social functioning.
Interviews with clients on methadone revealed that most view their involvement in treatment as being very positive in terms of assisting them to live a normal life however many were concerned about long term dependency on methadone.
The report is critical of methadone prescribing practices that stigmatise or disclose the drug using status of individuals and recommends an expansion of the range of prescribing services available in Ireland to ensure greater uptake of treatment.
Engaging the Hard-to-Reach An Evaluation of an Outreach Service. - Caroline Corr
The study of the outreach service for drug users showed that the service was effective in making contact with drug users and referring them into mainstream drugs and other services. The outreach service also played a valuable role in the local community by collecting and disposing of discarded needles.
Managing Urban Tensions An Integrated Approach to Drug Related Anti-Social Behaviour in Dublin. - Marie Lawless and Gemma Cox
This paper investigates policy on the issue of drug-related anti-social behaviour in Dublin with particular reference to the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1997. The research focuses on the use of eviction as a means of dealing with anti-social behaviour and makes a range of recommendations aimed at minimizing drug-related nuisance behaviour in Dublin. These recommendations cover such areas as design changes, changes in the way anti-social behaviour is managed, security measures, social measures and policing measures.
A Step in the Right Direction An Evaluation of the Failtiu Information and Advice Service. - Caroline Corr
The evaluation of the information and advice service for homeless people revealed that:
- 53% of those using the service had no formal qualifications and over half had left school early.
- 75% were unemployed
- 42% had become homeless when they were 16 years or younger and the mean length of time homeless was almost three years.
The evaluation found that more than half of the clients use the service for information on emergency accommodation, social welfare, health issues and drugs issues, and that overall the clients were very satisfied with the accuracy, presentation, relevancy and clarity of the information given.
Food for Thought A Review of the Failtiu Food Service - Caroline Corr
The review of the food service for homeless people showed that the service had a value beyond providing meals and nutrition for homeless persons. The food service acted as a way of attracting new clients to the centre and subsequently assisted clients to access other services and to get help with other issues or crises they may have. The food service also offered its service users access to a social network
Notes:
Launch Details
Pieces of the Jigsaw- Six Reports Addressing Homelessness & Problem Drug Use in Ireland
Date: Friday 2nd April 2004. Time: 09.00a.m.
Venue: The Refectory, Merchants Quay Ireland, 4 Merchants Quay, Dublin 8.
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