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Demand for addiction services in the midwest has "never been higher," according to the Ana Liffey Drug Project.
Since 2012, the charity’s team in the midwest region has worked with an average of 250 people per year.
However, in the last 12 months, 490 people required addiction support, the charity's chief executive Tony Duffin said.
Increased use of crack cocaine in Dublin and the midwest was a “significant problem”, as well as “polydrug use” which is the use of more than one drug during a session.
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Polydrug use was a “major concern” for Ana Liffey’s work, Rachel O’Donoghue, team leader at Ana Liffey’s midwest team said.
Crack pipes
Data showed that, last year, Ana Liffey which publishes its annual report for 2020 on Monday, provided 2,550 crack pipes in the midwest, mainly in Limerick city centre.
“We have already seen an increase in the numbers of people presenting to us, and it is unclear what more the aftermath of the pandemic will bring in terms of drug trends and numbers presenting for treatment,” Ms O’Donoghue said.
The charity was “consistently out on the streets throughout 2020” and maintained its frontline presence in the midwest throughout the Covid-19 pandemic by providing face-to-face Covid-19 support and addiction support.
Face-to-face interventions, delivered while observing Covid-19 safety measures, "contributed significantly to reducing the impact of Covid-19 and drug-related harm", said Dr Eamon Keenan, Health Service Executive national clinical lead in addiction services.