Serious concerns over how to tackle the level of drug dealing

RECENTLY elected new chairman of Clondalkin Drugs and Alcohol Taskforce, Pat Bennett, speaks to The Echo about plans to tackle serious issues in the area which have been plaguing the local community and the urgent need for further investment into taskforces.

With recent reports of significant levels of drug dealing in Corkagh Park and dangerous usage of nitrous oxide cannisters by children as young as eleven, there have been serious concerns amongst residents, parents and members of the community as to how to tackle these ongoing issues.

“Unfortunately, what is happening in Corkagh Park is happening all around the country,” Chair of the Clondalkin Drugs and Alcohol Taskforce, Pat Bennett told The Echo.

“It is a huge problem and one of the most important functions of ourselves is that we are an inter-agency taskforce, so we work very closely with the Gardai and the local support services.

“We are trying to see some sort of a plan to deal with that. The issue obviously, it hasn’t been really tackled properly anywhere yet really to be quite honest.

“There are young people running across the streets handing packages along and it is something that is very difficult to do to tackle it, but the Gardai are very supportive of the drugs taskforce.”

Similarly, the issue of the misuse of nitrous oxide cannisters has been on the rise especially amongst teenagers and young adults in local communities for a temporary high which can have dangerous and fatal consequences.

“We have seen this in Clondalkin and in fact one of the things that is unfortunately one of the realities of drugs is a low education retainment, so people are leaving school early, and it is a huge factor.

“The issue of investment particularly around education is really important. We have to get the message out there and we need to get into the schools.

“The education side of things is where we can get in and support people to stay in school and let them know that there is another life out there because if you leave school early you may end up going down the streets, meeting people who can take advantage on vulnerable people, so education is a huge factor that is involved in this,” Pat explained.

One major issue that is affecting drugs and alcohol taskforces such as Clondalkin, Tallaght and Ballyfermot is the lack of support and funding following serious budget cuts during the recession which have not been restored.

When asked about the need for this increased support, Pat said that “there is no doubt” that the task forces are constantly underfunded.

“I think that the task forces could do a lot more with some more money. We understand that there is not an infinite pot of money out there, but the reality is that in order to deal with something as complex as a drug problem, if you don’t invest you are not going to get the results.

“You can see good examples where small amounts of money on different projects has been very successful such as the SAFE project trying to stop the issue of people going on the train carrying drugs and people dumping drugs at railway stations.

“It is about investment and certainly our job as a taskforce is to advocate for more support for the frontline people who are out trying to help.”