Sir, - John Maher's article on February 6th on the Garda anti drugs initiative, Operation Dochas, appears to indicate satisfaction on the part of the Assistant Garda Commissioner, Mr Tom King, with its success rate. The seizure of an average of more than £9,000 worth of drugs every day was highlighted.
While this figure may appear impressive, I believe it to be quite meaningless when divorced from any sort of context. Given that there are an estimated 8,000 intravenous drug users in Dublin and many thousands more smoking heroin (the majority of whom would not be on any sort of treatment programme), not to mention the vast numbers purchasing ecstasy, cannabis resin, etc., I would suspect that the figure quoted amounts, at most, to one to two Per cent of the street value of illicit drugs sold in Dublin on a daily basis.
As a community worker in one of the areas worst affected, I welcome any increase in the effectiveness of the Garda Siochana in tackling the supply side of the problem. The concern remains, however, that there appears to be satisfaction within the force with moving from a situation of complete ineffectiveness to one of extremely minor effectiveness, which is then dressed up in the best possible light and sold to the public through an uncritical media. Public confidence in the Garda Siochana will not be rebuilt by efficient PR work, but by efficiency in tackling the drug dealers who are destroying our communities. - Yours, etc.,
South Earl Street,
Dublin 8.