McGuire, Vivion (2007) MQI annual review 2006. Drugnet Ireland, Issue 23, Autumn 2007, pp. 7-8.
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The Merchants Quay Ireland (MQI) annual review for 2006, and its re-designed website, were launched by Minister of State with responsibility for the National Drugs Strategy Mr Pat Carey TD on 31 August 2007.1 The Minister spoke of the growing need for needle exchange services to be made available nationally.
More than 39,460 visits were recorded at MQI’s needle-exchange service, of which 1,754 were by new clients. While the majority were heroin users, 20% were also using cocaine. Chief executive Mr Tony Geoghegan said that people tended to inject drugs for a year or more before they sought treatment and that during this period they were at risk of contracting hepatitis C or HIV. He highlighted the lack of localised harm-reduction services, saying that, while media attention had focused on problem cocaine use, heroin remained a major issue throughout the country.
The review also highlights the increasing demand for MQI’s homeless services, particularly from people from the new EU member states. By October 2006 over 50 eastern Europeans were availing of the services every day. MQI has produced information leaflets in Polish and Russian (available on the new MQI website), and some staff have taken language classes. Mr Geoghegan called for some relaxation of the Habitual Residence Condition to allow non-nationals greater access to social welfare services.
The types of service offered by MQI and the numbers of people accessing them in 2006 are shown below.
|
Service |
Type of intervention |
No. of participants |
Outcomes |
|
Needle exchange and health promotion services |
Promoting safer injecting techniques HIV and hepatitis prevention Safe sex advice Information on overdose |
39,460 (including 1,754 new clients) 308 safer injecting workshops |
Not available |
|
Stabilisation services |
Methadone substitution Supportive day programmes Gateway programme Counselling |
30 18 16 (monthly average) Not available |
Not available Not available Not available Not available |
|
Settlement service |
Assist service users to access interim and long-term accommodation |
An average of 52 a month |
An average of 25 a month availed of the Tenancy Sustainment Service |
|
Integration programmes |
Access to transitional accommodation (Ballymount House) for up to 24 weeks Group and one-to-one therapeutic sessions |
6 |
Not available |
|
Training and work programmes |
FÁS Community Employment scheme
|
130 |
70 secured permanent employment or moved to further education |
|
Catering training programme |
21 |
10 awarded FETAC Certificate |
|
|
High Park |
17-week, drug-free residential programme including individual counselling, group therapy, educational groups, work assignments and recreational activities |
73 (of whom 27 were admitted for detoxification) |
19 completed detox |
|
St Francis Farm |
Therapeutic facility offering a 6–12-month programme |
30 |
17 completed three months or more |
1. Merchants Quay Ireland (2007) Annual review 2006. Dublin: MQI.
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