People should tell their employers if they suspect a colleague is taking drugs, a Government minister claimed today.
Minister for Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs Pat Carey said if people are aware they are working with a colleague who uses drugs, they should “talk to them, confront them and if necessary make sure their employer knows”.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Mr Carey said people should be prepared to confront the issue of drug misuse, "particularly" cocaine use, even if they are unsure a colleague is definitely using.
“Sometimes it’s too late to find out if you are sure or not because unfortunately one sniff of cocaine can be your first and your last,” he said.
Mr Carey was also critical of RTÉ for not highlighting issues around cocaine use following Gerry Ryan’s inquest last week and said it was “slow off the mark”.
The broadcaster has rejected allegations that there was a tolerance of drug abuse among its workforce but acknowledged that its coverage was “less than it could have been”.
In a separate development, the Irish Sun claimed this morning that traces of heroin were found in the RTÉ workplace. The newspaper said the traces of the drug were discovered after a reporter took swabs in the toilet of the main canteen in Donnybrook.
Responding to the allegations, RTÉ’s head of communications Kevin Dawson urged the newspaper to pass the information to gardaí “without delay”.
And he noted the traces were described as being found in one of the areas “most frequently" accessed both by staff and visitors to RTÉ.
Mr Dawson said the broadcaster intends “to take all appropriate steps” to protect the health, safety and welfare of staff and visitors and will offer “complete co-operation to the authorities”.
“We will await further information and advice and our security staff will continue to carry out ongoing checks and tests of the RTÉ workplace,” he added.
