President Michael D Higgins praised an arts project for drug users, saying it empowers people to explore “positive aspects” of themselves, to defeat the “negative”.
At the launch by RADE (Recovery through Art, Drama and Education) of a comic book and a documentary, both on 1916, the President said their work combined rehabilitation with an artistic environment.
“I became familiar with RADE’s work about five or six years ago and visited some of its workshops very early on,” said the President.
“I think what is very important is what it combines: you have work of rehabilitation, you have work of recovery, the capacity to require new skills, but most of all the creation of atmosphere in which people can do things together.”
He said the aim of users become drug-free was crucial: “You have people who are methadone users, exploring aspects of themselves that are positive, that are defeating the negative, all of that is very important.”
Source: Cormac O'Keeffe, Irish Examiner, 20/04/16