KILKENNY AWASH WITH HARD DRUGS

'HARD drugs' such as cocaine and heroin are rampant in the city as
drug users turn away from cannabis and ecstasy in favour of stronger
drugs, warned leading solicitor and Fianna Fail councillor Michael Lanigan.

"These guys are selling cocaine on the weekend and heroin throughout
the week," the Fianna Fail representative said. "When you have
persons dealing heroin, you have a problem of immense proportions."

Cllr Lanigan said it was essential that Kilkenny respond to the
growing use of hard drugs. "That is going to have a more profound
effect on community safety and crime than trying to put up CCTV
cameras everywhere."

"Catastrophic"

"We are already in the midst of a serious problem but it could reach
catastrophic proportions," he added.

About a month ago gardai found a major haul of cannabis resin coming
into the city. It was the first such instance involving cannabis "in
many, many months" and "ecstasy is almost unheard of", Cllr Lanigan said.

Instead the focus has shifted to heroin and amphetamines, he said.

"The bottom line is this: There is an amount of work being done to
stop the next set of people (starting to use drugs) but there is a
whole set of people at the moment who, if they want to get treatment,
have to go on a waiting list," he said.

There is also the related issue of people buying and selling
methadone, which is used in treating heroin addiction. Methadone has
become a hot commodity, as there is such a long wait for treatment
for heroin addicts.

"If you manage to get on a methadone programme you have something
that is saleable," Cllr Lanigan said. This means some people continue
their heroin use and make money by selling methadone to other users.

Valium

There is also a growing market for valium, he said, because for
heroin addicts "it is the only thing that can stop you feeling sick."

The number of people being brought to St Luke's Hospital suffering
from drugs-related illness is also increasing, Cllr Lanigan said. In
particular there was one batch of heroin brought into the city
recently which started firing up into people's faces when they tried
to smoke it.

"I have seen three or four young lads in the courts in the last few
weeks who I would have known for many years, and they are dying," the
solicitor said. "There are people who have lost three, four, five
stone - and they were not heavy."

Cllr Lanigan made the comments following an update of RAPID Kilkenny
projects, by Ronan Ryan at the Co Council's Kilkenny electoral area
meeting on Monday. RAPID is a government initiative to improve the
lives of people living in marginalised urban areas.