DRUG VIOLENCE HITS DUNDALK

The brutal murder of a 24 year old local man just days after Christmas
has brought home to many the harsh reality that the violence
associated with the drugs culture has arrived in Dundalk.

Up until now drug motivated killings was seen as something which was
part of the gangland feuds in Dublin and Limerick, not something which
would happen in a relatively peaceful provincial town like Dundalk.

There have been drugs related deaths in Dundalk in the past, from
overdoses, accidental or otherwise, and from illnesses associated with
drug abuse. But this is believed to be the first time that anyone has
been killed because of their involvement in the shady world of drug
dealing.

Drugs and violence go hand in hand, from the dealers enforcing their
terriority to the drug masters who force mules to smuggle drugs from
one country to another.

For years, community workers in Dundalk have been warning that the
grim scenario of drug addiction, violence and death which has plagued
Dublin and other Irish cities was on its way here.

Only recently has this view been taken on board at official level, but
unfortunately it's a little too late.

It wasn't until Chief Supt Pat McGee met with town councillors in 2005
that a senior Garda figure acknowledged that there was a heroin
problem in town. Arising out of that meeting, the Dundalk Drugs
Advisory Group was formed with the intention of seeing what could be
done to halt the growing drug problem.

The Group commissioned a report from researchers at Queens University
Belfast which gave a grim and graphic insight into Dundalk's drug scene.

A series of interviews with those working with drug addicts, community
leaders, health service employees, GPs, and most importantly addicts
and their families, led to recommendations as to what could be done to
help those abusing drugs and to prevent others from doing so. Key
recommendations including reducing the waiting time which addicts have
to endure for methadone treatment, improved outreach services, and
greater involvement of the town's GPs in the provision of services.

The recession means that those resources which do exist won't be
extended, and if anything, they will be reduced. Just before Christmas
the 'Make Change' Project learned that their funding was being cut,
leaving the town without a community outreach service in Muirheavnamor
and Coxes Demense.

Cutbacks in the health service and Garda Siochana will inevitably
result in less manpower to deal with the problem, with communities
being left to cope without the supports and backups which they need.

The growing extent of Dundalk's drug problem can be seen in our
courts. Twenty years ago, it was alcohol which was a contributing
factor to many crimes and an appearance for possession of cannabis
made the headlines.

Nowadays, a considerable number of those going through the judicial
system are drug addicts whose crimes are committed because of their
addiction. The same is sadly true of the coroner's court, where there
have been a number of inquests into deaths resulting from drug
overdoses. The drug culture crosses all sectors of society, from the
high living pop stars and A-list celebrities to the kids in working
class estates. And while the rich and famous may have recourse to the
rehab clinics like The Priory which have become household names, the
ordinary victims are left adrift with long waiting lists for what
services which do exist.

The need for services to prevent our young people from falling into
the grip of drug abuse was brought home to those who attended the
funeral of Stephen Quigley.

In his homily, Fr McGinnity said the young man had not been born to
die the way he did.

No one sets out to be a drug addict, yet unfortunately more and more
young people are ending up on that path.

As Fr McGinnity said, drugs can seem to offer an attractive high,
particularly to young people who are feeling lost or confused.

But more needs to be done than the priest's urging of young people to
dedicate themselves to Our Lady.

Education needs to be provided to young people and their parents.
Parents need to know that the person who is mostly like to offer their
child drugs is not a shady character down an alley way but a friend or
acquaintance.

Parents need to know the signs which would alert them to the fact that
their child could be abusing drugs and they need to know where to turn
to get help for that child.

These services need to be available in the community for
everyone.

It's almost thirty years ago since Tony Gregory, who passed away at
the weekend, highlighted how drugs were destroying communities in Dublin.

Now we need to listen to those voices which are warning that the same
thing could happen, is happening, to our town.

http://www.argus.ie/news/murder-was-an-abject-tragedy-1594920.html

Pubdate: 07 Jan 2009
Source: Argus, The (Ireland)
Contact: editorial@argus.ie
Website: http://www.argus.ie/
Address: Partnership Court, Park Street, Dundalk
Fax: 042 9331643
Copyright: 2009 Argus

Murder was 'an abject tragedy'

Priest prays drug culture will be stopped

Mourners at the funeral of Stephen Quigley, the 24year-old man
murdered just days after Christmas, heard Fr Gerard McGinnity PP pray
that such a tragedy wouldn't happen again because of the determination
of parents and communities to stop drug culture from robbing the world
of its precious asset - young people.

The neat country church of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception,
Kilkerley, was packed as parishioners turned out to offer their
support and sympathy to Stephen's mother Bernadette, sister Lorraine,
brothers Brendan, Anthony and Niall, and father Brendan.

Describing Stephen's murder as 'an abject tragedy', Fr McGinnity, PP
Knockbridge, said the communities were in 'a state of shock, numbed,
and many close to Stephen naturally and understandably are
broken-hearted'.

'Everybody throughout the country was appalled at the news which kept
breaking over these days. All of us were prompted to ask what is life?'

Referring to the gospel readings, Fr McGinnity said that Stephen was
not born to die the way he did.

Looking at him reposing in his casket at home, surrounded by his
football and boxing trophies, people had remarked that he looked as
though he was asleep.

He was a handsome young man, in the flush of youth, when life was rich
with possibility and potential.

His death was a waste of a young life, but sadly, as every parent is
chillingly aware, young people in Ireland today meet, at a
frighteningly early age, the dangers of a world which seems enticing
before dumping them on the rubbish heap of life.

For young people, particularly when life is hurting, painful,
disturbing and confusing, that high can seem tempting, yet it exploits
them.

Fr McGinnity recalled the words of Pope Benedict who said to young
people that such a world is 'a big lie' which destroys life.

He appealed to young people to consecrate themselves to our lady and
to forsake drugs, alcohol and immorality in their lives.

As Stephen's family, friends and neighbours mourned a young man who
was being laid to rest in the adjoining cemetery just 24 years after
he had been baptised in neighbouring Knockbridge parish, his love of
boxing, football and music were recalled in the gifts taken up during
the offertory possession.

The public can contact the murder incident room at 042-9388470, or out
of hours, call the Garda station at 042-9335577.