Home > Merchants Quay Ireland. Annual review 2015.

Merchants Quay Ireland. (2016) Merchants Quay Ireland. Annual review 2015. Dublin: Merchants Quay Ireland.

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The Merchants Quay Ireland Annual Review for 2015 was launched by Ms. Catherine Byrne, TD, Minister of State for Communities and National Drugs Strategy on the occasion of her visit to MQI's High Park Residential Rehabilitation and detox on 16th Septmebr 2016.

MQI’s Annual Review highlights the continued growth of homelessness and drug use and the increasing levels of hardship and vulnerability experienced by so many men and women today. While there is much talk of the improving economy, these improvements haven’t filtered down to those most in need.

Speaking at the launch, Tony Geoghegan, CEO of Merchants Quay Ireland said:

“At Merchants Quay we remain as committed as ever to supporting people out of homelessness and addiction. But, with unprecedented levels of both in 2015, it grows ever harder for us and, more importantly, for the people we serve. But, as I speak, we have a real chance for positive change. The new government has committed to addressing the homeless situation and developing an action plan as a priority. The National Drugs Strategy expires in 2016 and the process of developing the new strategy has begun. We must all work together to see that this chance is not squandered.”

The unprecedented levels of homelessness were clear to see in MQI, where just over 7,500 people accessed our homeless services in 2015.

MQI provided 98,865 meals for Ireland’s homeless and hungry over the course of the year.

With so many sleeping rough, MQI’s Night Café opened in January 2015 as a response. Open from 11pm to 8am, it caters for up to 50 people every night of the week. Across the year MQI served 1,972 individuals who would have had to brave the streets without the service.

Last year 2,676 individuals used MQI’s needle-exchange service. 461 of these individuals were first-time presenters to the service.

Providing pathways out of drugs is a key aspect of MQI’s work, and residential detoxification and drug-free rehabilitation programmes were in strong demand in 2015.

There were 175 admissions across these services with an 83% detox completion rate.

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