Voices of addicts 'written out' of new National Drugs Strategy
The new National Drugs Strategy (NDS) risks side-lining community-led drugs services and neglects the link between poverty, inequality, and drug-related harm.
That’s according to Social Democrats Councillor Lesley Byrne, who tabled a motion at the South Central Area Committee meeting calling for the NDS to incorporate the lived experiences of drug users and address the social determinants of addiction. She expressed concern that the strategy risks centralising decision-making and funding and believes it requires a stronger focus on how inequality stands out as “the main driver of addiction.”
The National Drugs Strategy 2026-2029 aims to act as “an integrated, equitable and evidence-based response to drug and harmful alcohol use,” but Cllr Byrne stressed “it doesn’t the reflect the transformative change that was suggested by the Citizens’ Assembly .” The Assembly recommended a shift toward a health-led approach to drug addiction, and the strategy has been jointly described as “fundamentally flawed” by three community drug networks.
Citywide, Family Addiction Recovery Ireland (FARI) and Uisce stated last March there were a series of "inappropriate and damaging assumptions" about how the drugs strategy should be implemented. Anna Quigley, Citywide’s co-ordinator, said the voices of drug users had been “written out” of the strategy and that centralising decision-making to the HSE was a structure that “best suits” that service rather than the needs of affected communities.
Cllr Byrne said the NDS moves away from grassroots-led community work toward more national-led work, and it is important to recognise the great work being done by services like Canal Communities and the Rialto Community Drug Team. Cllr Byrne said many staff members in these services are “extremely concerned” by some of the content in the NDS.
It is essential not to “exclude the voices of people living with or have lived with the experience of addition” and Cllr Byrne is calling on Dublin City Council to engage with relevant government departments to ensure community organisation retain meaningful input and secure multi-annual funding. “That’s what our community needs,” she said.
Sinn Fein Cllr Daithi Doolan agreed that the NDS required amending and said “you cannot have a national drug strategy without any engagement with those most affected.” He said the consultation process, which ended on April 10, was “very restrictive” and “straitjacketed” as only community or resident groups were able to contribute.
He explained that the draft strategy was written before the consultation period and said it has a “predetermined outcome” with the contribution of local drugs task forces simply being “an afterthought.” Cllr Doolan called the strategy “very regressive” and likened it to “turning the clocks back to 1996.”
The NDS is “centralising all the power with HSE,” Cllr Doolan said, stating it undermines the task forces “who are most engaged with the needs of the community.” He criticised the HSE as too "bureaucratic" and “not in any position to respond swiftly” to the needs of those with addiction issues. “That’s why the task forces were set up,” Cllr Doolan said.
He called the NDS “a power grab” and that there’s been “no consultation with Uisce or the drug users themselves.” Cllr Doolan said there is “deep anger” among the task forces who have organised roundtables where members have strongly expressed their concerns about the strategy.
Cllr Doolan said that drugs are “the number one issue affecting the South Central area” and the government “have their fingers in their ears” when it comes to listening to their concerns. “We are looking for proper consultation before this strategy is adopted,” he said.
Sinn Fein Cllr Ciaran O Meachair said the NDS has the potential to be “very detrimental to our local drug and alcohol task force.” He said that if the area boundaries were changed to mirror that of the HSE then parts of Dublin previously linked by task forces would risk being cut off from one another.
“Places like The Liberties and Oliver Bond have a lot more in common with Pearce Street and Ringsend than they do with places like Offaly and Laois that we have the prospect of being lumped in with,” he said.
He said that “local nuances” risk being lost if the drug strategy shifts toward the geographical areas favoured by the HSE. “It’s extremely concerning and I hope there’s enough pushback to make the Minister think twice.”
South Central Area Councillors agreed to write directly to the Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy Jennifer Murnane O’Connor TD to outline their strong concern. Chairperson Cllr Vincent Jackson agreed that they will write to the Minister and ask for “open and transparent” dialogue regarding the implementation of NDS.
Announcing the draft NDS last February, Minister O’Connor said: “It has been almost 10 years since the last national drugs strategy was published. In that time, we have seen significant changes in the prevalence of drug use across Ireland and have deepened our understanding of the harms caused by drug use and harmful alcohol consumption.
“I have published this draft strategy to ensure that everyone, including those with lived and living experience of drug use, families, communities, and the organisations that fund, plan, and deliver services can understand the proposals and share their views. Their input is essential to ensuring that the final strategy is truly fit for purpose.
“I am sharing the draft Strategy with the Joint Committee on Drug Use to inform their deliberations, and I will give full consideration to any recommendations they make in their final report as we move toward finalising the National Drugs Strategy.
“I want to thank the Expert Steering Group who developed the draft strategy, and they will take account of the Joint Committee’s report, the findings of the public consultation, and the outcomes of the engagement process on future governance, and will submit a revised strategy and action plan to me.”
The draft NDS outlines five strategic pillars: Protection from harm; Provision of high‑quality treatment services; Promotion of recovery; Prioritisation of health supports over criminal sanctions, and; Preparedness for global drug threats. The draft National Drugs Strategy can be read in full here .
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