Dublin North East LDATF

ANNUAL REPORT DUBLIN NORTH EAST DRUGS & ALCOHOLTASK FORCE LTD. 2014 Dublin North East Drugs Task Force Ltd. The vision of the Task Force is ‘to create and sustain a system of supports, services and empowerment for individuals, families and communities through which existing and future problem drug use in Dublin North East is prevented, reduced and managed.’ The Dublin North East Drugs Task Force Ltd has interagency partnership at its heart, providing funding for community led initiatives to deliver community addiction responses to tackle the problems associated with drug misuse. Socio-Economic profile of the Task Force Catchment Area Dublin North East area, the catchment of the Task Force, is a large geographic area which is not homogenous in social and demographic terms (see map in Appendix I). The area can be considered a mixed one, with pockets of disadvantage, normally characterised by social housing, alongside relatively affluent areas. The sub catchment areas in which where there is a relative concentration of affluence, relative educational attainment, private housing and more affluent social classes are - including those adjacent to them - Raheny, Clontarf, Howth and Sutton. Relatively new areas such as Clongriffin and Belmayne have added a new dimension to the mix. The areas characterised by concentrations of attributes of disadvantage such as social housing, deprivation, low educational attainment, membership of less affluent social classes are Darndale, Belcamp and Priorswood, areas to the east of Malahide Road on Collins Avenue, Edenmore, Donaghmede, Kilmore, Coolock and Bonnybrook. The size of the catchment and its mix of affluence and deprivation are the key features of the profile of the Task Force. It is undoubtedly a large geographical area comprising varied communities and community types. The implication of this, especially with the changing nature of problem drug use and the groupings associated with problem use, suggests that multiple methods and approaches are required. The area has a mixture of the historical heroin issues that emerged in the 1980’s and 1990’s along with the more recent issue of polydrug use. It has become essentially an area of polydrug use including alcohol misuse. Regardless of the dynamics of drugs use, the catchment area is itself varied socially, demographically and geographically and this needs to be factored into the approach and thinking of the Task Force in its future operations and responses. Bearing this in mind, in 2014, the Task Force appointed an additional Prevention, Education & Intervention Worker to work in catchment areas of the Task Force where there are currently no community drug projects. These include Belmayne, Clongriffin, Baldoyle, Howth, Sutton and Donaghmede. Part 1. An Overview of the drugs problem in the Dublin North East Area The information below is provided by the National Documentation Centre on Drug Use administered by the HRB. Overall there were a total number of 392 referrals into the Dublin North East Drugs Task Force Area in 2014. Table 1- Total Overall Referrals Reason for Referral Total % Drug 286 72.9 Alcohol 106 27.1 TOTAL 392 100 Table 2 – Reason for Referral Drug Type Total % Opiates 208 53.1 Alcohol 106 27.1 Cannabis 35 8.9 Benzodiazepines 19 4.8 Cocaine 18 4.6 Others 4 1.0 Ecstasy 2 0.5 TOTAL 392 100 Table 3 – Source of Referral Source Total % Self 158 40.2 Other drug treatment centre 53 13.5 Family & Friends 50 12.7 Prison 39 9.9 G.P 22 5.6 Social Services 20 5.1 Outreach Worker 14 3.8 Court/Probation/Gardaí 10 2.6 Hospital/Medical Agency (excluding E.D.) 7 1.8 Not Known 7 1.8 Other 12 3.0 TOTAL 392 100 Table 4 – Previously Treated Status Status Total % Previously Treated Cases 218 55.6 Never Treated 121 30.9 Assessed Only 43 10.9 Treatment Status Unknown 10 2.6 TOTAL 392 100 Table 5 – Gender Gender Total % Male 295 75.1 Female 96 24.5 Not Recorded 1 0.4 TOTAL 392 100 Table 6 – Grouped Age Age Total % 17 years or under 14 3.6 18-19 13 3.3 20-24 32 8.1 25-29 77 19.5 30-34 75 19.1 35-39 92 23.5 40-44 46 11.7 45-49 22 5.6 Over 50 21 5.4 TOTAL 392 100 Table 7 – Accommodation – living where Living in Total % Stable Accommodation 308 78.5 Institution (e.g. prison, clinic) 52 13.2 Homeless 18 4.6 Other Unstable Accommodation 8 2.2 Not Known 6 1.5 TOTAL 392 100 Table 8 – Employment Status Status Total % Unemployed 245 62.4 Retired/Unable to work/disability 53 13.5 In paid employment 50 12.7 FAS or other training scheme 24 6.1 Student 14 3.8 Other 6 1.5 TOTAL 392 100 Table 9 – Education Levels Level Total % Primary level incomplete 17 4.3 Primary level 78 19.8 Junior Certificate 163 41.5 Leaving Certificate 60 15.3 Third level 20 5.1 Still in fulltime education 14 3.8 Not known 40 10.2 TOTAL 392 100 Table 10 – Main Problem Substances (Treated Cases only) Substance Total % Opiates 189 54.3 Alcohol 90 25.8 Cannabis 32 9.2 Benzodiazepines 15 4.2 Cocaine 15 4.2 Ecstasy 2 1.1 Others 4 1.2 TOTAL 347 100 Table 11 – Number of Drugs Used (Treated Cases only) Uses more than one drug Total % (Polysubstance use) Yes 216 62.2 No 131 37.8 TOTAL 347 100 Table 12 – Number of Problem Drugs (Treated Cases only) Number Total % One 131 37.8 Two 81 23.3 Three 83 23.9 Four 52 15.0 TOTAL 347 100 Table 13 – Ever Injected (Treated Cases only) Injected? Total % Yes 135 38.9 No 193 55.6 Not Known 19 5.5 TOTAL 347 100 Table 14 – Ever Shared Injecting Equipment (Treated Cases only) Shared? Total % Yes 62 40.3 No 61 39.6 Not Known 31 20.1 TOTAL 154 100 Table 15 – Injected in Past Month (Treated Cases only) Injected? Total % Yes 28 8.1 No 303 87.3 Not Known 16 4.6 TOTAL 347 100 Main Findings The figures provide a wealth of information on drug prevalence, usage and treatment regarding the total of 392 referrals within the area. The proportion of males to females is 75% to 25% of recorded cases (a slight increase on female usage since last year). There are a number of areas that can be highlighted. The figures show that drug misuse referrals has jumped considerably from last year when compared to alcohol referrals( up from 65.7% to 72.9% of cases).The figures indicate that the most prevalent reason for referral is opiates at 54.3% up from 46.2% last year and even higher than the 2013 figure (52%). Alcohol remains the second most prevalent reason for referral at 25.8% (down 6% on the previous year). Cannabis remains as the third most problematic substance at 9.2%. Although heroin continues to be a significant issue in the area the misuse of benzodiazepines are steadily increasing and treated cases are now on par with cocaine (4.2%) There were over 70 new psychoactive substances recorded in 2014 alone. Over 400 psychoactive substances are now being monitored by Gardaí. MDMA has also made a return to popularity and has been increasingly prevalent in the last two years. High strength Cannabis (Skunk) is readily available and appears to be producing/exacerbating mental health issues. It is the most widely used form of cannabis among young people and it has been reported that Ireland is now self- sufficient due to the number of grow houses in the country. The average THC content has doubled from 8.6% in 2000 to between 17- 20% today. The incidence of self-harming is a concern for projects. All projects have noted increases in dual diagnosis with an increasing trend in mental health issues. Projects would like to see closer links between the HSE Addiction Services and Mental Health Services. Some projects are forging closer links with mental health nurses in order to address the problem. The statistics show that in the majority of cases (62.2% %) more than one drug is used. This is up from 56.2% last year. Intimidation remains a problem for projects. However there are ongoing initiatives in the area. Citywide and the HRB carried out an audit of drug related intimidation and community violence in drugs task force areas. This was supported by the Task Force and all community drug projects in the area took part. The fact that the incident reports remained anonymous was a consideration. The Drug Related Intimidation Reporting Programme, operated jointly by the Family Support Network and the Gardaí is also in operation within the area. In December 2014 the Task Force were invited to appear before the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality regarding our submission on the effects of gangland crime on the Community. Details of incidents were reported where intimidation took place and the consequences for those with drug debt. The Task Force appearance led to some media interest in our work. Self-referral is still the most common type of referral at 42.2%, an increase of 0.4% on the previous year. The second most common type of referral is family and friends at 13.5% which is down from the previous year when it was 15.6%. A large majority of those referred (78.5%) are in stable accommodation but this is down from 85.8% last year and there is increasing evidence that homelessness is becoming a big issue for inner city Task Forces in particular 24.12% of referrals never progressed beyond primary school level in their educational achievements.

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