One of the country’s longest-running specialist drug centres witnessed a 31% jump in demand for services last year.
Coolmine Therapeutic Community supported 1,250 people during 2014, with women accounting for two-thirds of admissions.
In its 2014 annual report, the agency said there was an increase in the numbers of people with heroin as their primary problem drug.
The publication of the report comes as official figures show almost 9,900 people nationwide are on methadone.
The has also been a 16% cut in government funding since 2009, including an almost €20m fall in HSE funding for addiction services.
Coolmine, which was set up in 1973, is based in Blanchardstown, west Dublin, but most of its residential clients are from outside Dublin.
The report shows that almost seven in 10 women and half of men in residential therapy, as well as four out of 10 men on the day programme, cite heroin as their main drug of addiction.
Source: Cormac O'Keeffe, Irish Examiner, 15/07/15
Safer Student Nights
eBulletin
Poll
