Sinn Féin’s Cllr Jonathan O’Brien has stated the weekend’s events in Waterford underline the need to act now to ensure something similar does not happen in Cork.

 “This weekend we saw 15 young people becoming ill – with two still under intensive care in hospital – as a result of taking drugs at a house party in Waterford. It is only a matter of time before we experience a similar incident in Cork, unless the drugs crisis moves to the top of the political agenda.”

 “For some months now Sinn Fein has been working to highlight the danger posed by drugs in general, and heroin in particular, to the well-being of young people and communities. Dealing with drugs requires a crack-down on drug dealers and pushers, but also tackling the social causes of the problem.”

 “Six weeks ago City Council agreed to a Sinn Fein motion requesting the establishment of a multi-agency task force to deal with the growing problem of heroin in Cork City. However, it passed the implementation of this to the Policing Committee. At the first meeting of this committee last week, the item was not on the agenda. I have asked for it to be included at the next meeting in March. However, this is too long to wait and shows a lack of urgency in tackling the growing problem of heroin that is deplorable.”

 “Will we have to wait for a tragic situation in Cork, like that in Waterford over the weekend, before the Council and other agencies wake up to the urgency of the crisis on our doorsteps?”