Locals turned out in force last week at a meeting aimed at retaining drug treatment services in the Dublin 15 area.
The meeting was held last Monday (July 3) in Huntstown Community Centre in response to the closure of the ADAPT drug treatment centre last month.
Staff at the centre, which offered a holistic suite of treatments to people with drug and alcohol addictions, were told in May that the centre would be closing in July.
However, an arson attack on the centre forced the early closure of the centre and residents have become concerned that they will lose vital services.
Meeting
The group held a protest against the closure in Mulhuddart last month and used last week’s meeting to plan their next steps.
Cllr Paul Donnelly (SF) – one of the founders of ADAPT – chaired the meeting and afterwards outlined what the group’s next steps may be.
In a statement on Facebook, he said: “Packed room this evening in Huntstown for community meeting on drugs issue.
“Delighted to chair the meeting with great community reps.
Demanding
“We will be demanding a meeting with Minister Catherine Byrne (FG) to resolve the issue of ADAPT and a real community say in the drugs strategy.
“If we don’t get either a meeting or a commitment to return ADAPT funding to the control of the task force, then we will be holding further protests and most likely be resigning from the local drug and alcohol task force.”
