Drug project to remain open following community support

A DRUG outreach community organisation with a growing waiting list, was set to close at the end of December, but community support has helped to keep the project open.

Neart Le Chéile (NLC) has served Clondalkin communities for 25 years, providing support via two projects – Cairdeas, for individuals with drug use, and Cumas, which supports children and families negatively impacted by drug use.

Existing board members stepped away from their involvement a number of months ago, and it appeared that the HSE were winding down the project by the end of the year.

In a statement at the time, Clondalkin Drugs and Alcohol Task Force (CDATF), said they were in discussions with the HSE to retain funding for the services at NLC.

Unsure of the future, staff at NLC battled to keep the organisation, which supports up to 50 families, afloat, and received great feedback from the community.

A number of people agreed to join a new board including Dublin Mid-West TD’s Mark Ward (SF) and Gino Kenny (PBP).

Deputy Ward said: “A new board is in place. We met the HSE and the CDATF.

“They were saying the service was never going to be terminated, more that it was to be recalibrated.

“We agreed to a review and have a strategic plan in place for the next year or so.”

Speaking to The Echo in November when the situation was unclear, Lisa Collins, Community District Support Worker, Neart Le Chéile, said it is “a unique service.”

“We are getting constant referrals from local schools but we can’t take anyone off the waiting list.

“There is nowhere else to refer them to,” said Ms Collins.

After the new NLC board met with the HSE and CDATF in mid-December, Ms Collins said the project remains open in 2024, and thanked everyone who supported them.

Deputy Ward said: “It is a good example of the community wrapping around a service, which doesn’t always happen, but that happened here.

“That is great to see in this day and age.”