This article is from page 16 of the 2013-09-17 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 16 JPG
FUNDING cutbacks has forced Clare Youth Services to close two popular youth cafés in Ennis, it has emerged.
The cafés, which are located in Ennis town centre, were both drug and alcohol free areas. One of the buildings has closed completely, while the youth services have been forced to reduce the opening hours of another facility for young people.
Speaking at a meeting to discuss issues around alcohol misuse, Clare Youth Services CEO, Margaret Slattery said the Government must invest more money in preventative services.
She said the service had suffered a 40 per cent cut in funding over the past three years, a situation that forced the closure of alcohol-free facilities for young people in Ennis.
Ms Slattery said three groups have approached the service appealing for the cafés to be re-opened.
“It would cost around € 14,000 to re-open the cafés but we just don’t have the resources,” explained Ms Slattery.
Retired consultant psychiatrist, Dr Moosajee Bhamjee told the meeting there is a chronic lack of treatment programmes for young people in Ireland with alcohol and substance misuse problems.
He said, “We have all these young people on Saturday night and Sunday morning having all these problems but where do you go for your detox.
Dr Bhamjee continued, “How do you get detox? The GPs will put you on a detox programme but that’s only for certain selected people. The psychiatry hospitals don’t do it anymore. The Department of Health has no policy on treatment programmes. The mental health commission doesn’t see alcohol and drug abuse as their responsibility. So who is responsible to help these people? I know we have Bushypark and other places but first you have to detox the person and there is nowhere to go.”
Former Labour party councillor and now Independent councillor Paul O’Shea described as a “dis- grace” the lack of treatment centres for young people in Ireland.
Cllr O’Shea said the situation with alcohol abuse has grown so bad in Ireland that the HSE should consider using separate Accident and Emergency units for people presenting with drink related problems.
Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) called for the off-trade sale of alcohol to be priced out of the market. He said pubs, restaurants and other businesses are being forced to deal with the effects of high volumes of alcohol consumed before 10pm.