Daithí Doolan, Sinn Féin Leader on Dublin City Council and European election candidate for Dublin, has said it is time to tackle addiction and resource recovery.

Cllr Doolan was speaking after he, alongside Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald, visited Turas, who provide comprehensive rehabilitative education and training programmes for people in recovery from substance misuse.

Cllr Doolan said:

“The government’s chronic underfunding of taskforces has damaged community addiction services, particularly here in Dublin.

“There are committed people working tirelessly providing services that are so necessary to lift people out of addiction but they are so often doing so with funding that continues to be below their 2010 levels. They deserve so much better than that.

“The work of Turas in Bluebell shows what can be achieved if the right resources are put in place to support people on the bravest of journeys from addiction to recovery.

“The efforts that Turas go to in supporting people on that journey is phenomenal, and it was a privilege for myself and Mary Lou McDonald to meet the participants in their recovery programmes this week and to witness the guidance they are shown by staff there first hand.

“But what is clear is that the addiction sector needs major investment.

“Sinn Féin in government would reinstate funding for drug taskforces to 2010 funding levels as a first step, and then increase their funding through a Community Development Fund. We are also committed to appointing a super junior minister with sole responsibility for implementation of the national drug strategy.

“We would give them back their autonomy so that services like Turas can continue to expand and make localised proactive decisions based on issues arising on the ground.

“Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have slashed addiction service funding and have never allowed it to recover. It is time to tackle addiction and resource recovery.”