The largest voluntary drugs treatment centre in the State has suffered an "effective cut in funding", according to its director, despite the fact that more heroin addicts are using its services every year.
Mr Tony Geoghegan, director of the Merchant's Quay Project in Dublin, was speaking as figures from the centre's forthcoming annual report showed staff had dealt with over 10,000 heroin users since 1997.
He said the numbers were increasing every year, with 3,660 heroin addicts using the project in 2000, 3,948 in 2001 and 4,142 last year.
"There has been an ongoing increase in demand and what it means is that drug users' demand for services is outstripping what's available to help them," said Mr Geoghegan.
Official estimates that there were about 15,000 heroin users in Dublin, "couldn't be correct". He estimated the true number in Dublin to be closer to 30,000.
The centre offers a needle exchange programme, one-to- one counselling, group therapy and other supports to recovering addicts.
State funding has remained static over the past two years, said Mr Geoghegan, "so we are really running to stand still".
State funding accounted for 75 per cent of the project's annual budget two years ago, but given that the sum allocated had not increased, "it has effectively been cut, yes".
The centre began a two-week drug awareness campaign yesterday to highlight the damage and dangers of heroin abuse and "to show that treatment works".
"And it's hugely difficult as a service provider," said Mr Geoghegan, "to establish new services when we are, as I said, running just to stand still".
Another aim of the campaign - which includes an exhibition of art at the Civic Offices in Dublin by people using Merchant's Quay's services - will be to dispel negative stereotyping of drug users.
"When society views drug users and even recovering drug users negatively, the addicts take that negative image on themselves, which has implications for their recovery.
"People who have been through recovery are generally very strong, with great insight, are very resourceful and creative and that is a message we are very determined to get across," said Mr Geoghegan.
"And of course the, usually incorrect, negative image people have of drug users doesn't help when we're trying to fundraise."
He does not believe that the drug problem will ever be eradicated, but says it is important to develop ways to cope with problem drug use more creatively.
There are too few needle exchange programmes, with none at the weekends. There are fewer than 200 residential detoxification beds in the State and there are more drug users waiting to get on to treatment programmes than there are places, he said.
"This campaign aims to at least begin to turn some of these facts around."
