DRUGS WORTH POUNDS 400,000 BEING TRADED IN GALWAY

Over pounds 400,000 worth of drugs is being traded in Galway each week and
heroin is now a problem in the city, a government minister revealed yesterday.

TD for Galway West, Frank Fahey said the growing problem highlighted the
urgent need for more gardai in the city. Mr Fahey said levels of violence
on the streets had increased and there was a noticeable switch to harder
drugs despite extraordinary efforts by gardai to control the drugs flow.

Minister Fahey, who met Garda Commissioner Pat Byrne along with the
Minister for Justice John O'Donoghue, to call for extra garda manpower in
Galway, said that there was a feeling at garda HQ that there was enough
manpower on the streets. That attitude was not acceptable, he said. "The
gardai in Galway have done extraordinary work in their battle against the
drugs trade. Estimates are that pounds 400,000 worth of drugs are being
sold in the city every week, but my particular concern now is that there
are reports of heroin being used, whereas 12 months ago, it was not. If
this trade gets a hold, it will mean the death knell for Galway.

"A lot of the violence at night is drink and drugs related. Some months ago
I spent a number of nights in the casualty ward to observe for myself what
was happening, and was shocked to see the numbers coming in out of their
minds with drink and drugs. I have to say that there were also some close
calls from drugs such as Ecstasy. There were cases where young people could
have died," said Mr Fahey.

The minister said the number one priority now had to be further resources
for Galway gardai who were having success in the frontline battle against
crime.