Armagh’s Auxiliary Bishop Michael Router Photo: The Irish Sun Drug-related crime and addiction is “as bad as he’s seen it” since he started drug-related pastoral work in the mid-90s, Bishop Michael Router told this paper.
Bishop Router has been calling for greater focus in the funding and resourcing of family support networks amid growing drug-related crime and anti-social behaviour in the island’s north-east.
Speaking to The Irish Catholic newspaper, the auxiliary bishop of Armagh said that the “emerging” issue is drug-debt intimidation.
“It’s where an addict runs up a hefty debt and then those who are the dealers are coming looking for payback and they’re demanding huge money from the addicts and their families,” Bishop Router said.
“We had a case there in Drogheda recently where a family’s house was completely wrecked. Their plumbing fixtures and everything were pulled out of the wall, the family pet was beaten up, things like that.
“So the family had to get out of the house as quickly as possible. They were on the street for a while and then they had to go to a hotel and pay for a bed and board themselves.”
The problem is not just “an urban issue” according to Dr Router, who was told at a meeting of drug and alcohol addiction workers, HSE representatives, local politicians and police, of widespread drug-addiction effects being felt in the Cavan-Monaghan area.
“One rep said that in the past year, parts of four family farms were sold in order to pay off debts that were run up by a son or daughter who’s an addict,” Dr Router said.
“For a farmer to sell his land, the lifeblood, is a huge thing.”
Bishop Router has been calling for an urgent meeting with Minister for Public Health, Well Being and National Drugs Strategy, Frank Feighan, to receive “clarity about funding”, so that the drug addiction support networks might continue their work.
“There’s lots of talk about reports and about committees, but no funding. Nothing is actually trickling down to the people who are working on the ground,” Bishop Router said.
“In last year’s budget, there was €70,000 supposed to be given to each of the regions for the family support networks, and none of that money has emerged.”