Heroin addiction in Dublin's south inner city is over eight times higher than in the rest of the city, a conference was told yesterday.
Mr Vincent Doherty, co-ordinator of the area's Local Drugs Task Force, said a recent report estimated 17.5 per cent of 15-24 year old males in the area were heroin addicts.
This compared to an overall Dublin average of 2.1 per cent and a European average of 0.3 per cent.
He was speaking at "Re-creating Hope", a conference reviewing the fight against drugs in the Liberties area. Voluntary workers, professionals and local people affected by drugs attended. He said the drugs problem was fuelled by underlying factors. "Current levels of resources are only a drop in the ocean to what is required to turn around the major social problems involved.
"The south inner city is a special case. It has the highest density of local authority housing estates in the State. It has the highest concentration of poverty, heroin use and heroin-related illnesses, not just in the State but in Europe," he added. Mr Gary Broderick of the Anna Livia Project said hepatitis C was becoming more prevalent among heroin addicts and was now a more serious risk than HIV.
Mr Chris Flood TD, the former minister of state responsible for the National Drugs Strategy from 1997-99, opened the conference. He said the current review of the national strategy should focus on the community.
Resources for projects involving local people must be guaranteed. "If the resources are not put in, words mean nothing."
Mr Flood said the local drugs task forces, 12 in the Dublin area, one in Bray and another in Cork, allowed the community a "significant voice" alongside the statutory agencies.
He said rehabilitation was also important and called on employers in the public and private sector to become involved.