Press Release
‘Rebuilding Ireland’ strategy is failing people who have complex needs, says Merchants Quay Ireland
Charity urges Housing Minister not to leave people in addiction behind
Figures released by the Health Research Board today show the proportion of people being treated for problematic drug use who are homeless has jumped from 5.1% in 2010 to 9.6% in 2016. The number of new cases presenting for addiction treatment who are also homeless has more than doubled in that same period. The number of people who inject drugs also remains high at 2,960, with heroin being the most common drug reported.
Speaking on the release of the figures, CEO of Merchants Quay Ireland Tony Geoghegan said:
“We are deeply concerned to see that the number of people treated for problematic drug use who are homeless has almost doubled in the space of seven years, increasing from 453 people in 2010 up to 886 people in 2016.
“It is clear the housing crisis is exasperating the drug epidemic, and vice versa. Homeless people are becoming entrenched in addiction, and those caught in addiction are being left behind. The Rebuilding Ireland strategy is failing people with complex needs, and I would urge Minister Murphy to address this issue so that we do not leave people in addiction behind.”
-ENDS-
