LIMERICK Sinn Féin TD Maurice Quinlivan has slammed the government for not going far enough for addiction services in Budget 2025.
Deputy Quinlivan said that “in the year that the Citizen’s Assembly on Drugs reported with recommendation after recommendation calling for increased funding and priority for addiction, this government forgot to include any real reference in the Budget book”.
“It is not the first time that this government have forgotten those working in, and benefiting from, addiction services,” he said.
“Time after time – from Section 39 pay increases to a failure to restore taskforce funding to leaving many local services starved of funding and resources, those in addiction, those who love them, and those who know them are forgotten by Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil.
“This is not just about the individuals – it is about our communities, our families and our futures. It is about investing in recovery and tackling addiction. Limerick, as we all unfortunately know, has a massive problem with crack cocaine,” the Sinn Féin TD added.
He was strongly unimpressed when the government announced the Budget package on addiction as a “paltry €4.2m”.
“Over half of this was money previously announced in Budget 2024, leaving only €2million in new measures. The funding for community alcohol initiatives are welcome, but we need Minister Burke to commit that this will not go to competitive tendering,” he said.
Deputy Quinlivan said that Ireland ” has the highest drug death per population in Europe, yet drug addiction services are getting less than half of what the government allocated to provide pouches for phones in schools”.
“Trauma and addiction go hand in hand. There are young people in our schools right now who have a parent in addiction or are struggling with addiction themselves. These children are traumatised and teachers, who are often juggling the competing needs of overcrowded classes, are not able to provide them with the support they need alone.”
The Sinn Féin TD said that his party would “develop a scheme whereby drugs counsellors were available to schools and students”.
“For some students, school is their safe place from the trauma of the outside world. We would provide funding to reach them where they feel safest and try to support them. Instead, under Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, they’ll be given a pouch for their phone.”
