Merchants Quay Ireland is the largest non-profit drug service provider in Ireland, well established and with a proven track record in providing residential drug and alcohol treatment. A national voluntary organisation founded by the Franciscans in 1969, Merchants Quay provides a range of care and treatment services for homeless men and women and for drug users. Our goal is to build a society where the incidence of drug related harm – such as crime, poverty, HIV and homelessness – is greatly reduced, and the range and quality of drugs services are maximised.

Our mission is to provide the steppingstones for every point of a man’s or woman’s journey out of homelessness and addiction, and toward a drug free life, from a cup of tea and a hot meal, to needle exchange services aimed at reducing harm related to drug use, to help with housing and employment, to detox and drug free rehab services, settlement and aftercare support.

The Riverbank building on Merchants Quay welcomed 6,539 people over the course of 2016. The majority of the men and women coming to our door were among Ireland’s most isolated – struggling with homelessness, mental illnesses like depression and anxiety, and caught in addiction. Here, building trusting relationships very often begins with a simple cup of tea and a warm meal.