Sir - You published a report (March 3rd) that was critical of Tony Geoghegan as Director of The Merchant's Quay Project. Tony had proposed the provision of legally controlled and medically supervised heroin to some drug users. He presented this as one option in a range of drug treatment options.
The article also suggested that we Franciscans take a "hard look" at what the project and its director are doing. The Franciscans see the project as one of its justice initiatives. They are involved in its management structure and are fully aware of its services. They give Tony Geoghegan their full support and agree with him that the controlled distribution of heroin should be considered as an option that has merits. In fact the Franciscan Justice Director made this same point in his submission to the Crime Forum in February 1998.
The well-thought-out statements of our project director are based on the best available information from other countries. The results of Swiss trials are showing considerable benefits not only to the injecting drug users but also to their families and to their communities in the reduction of crime, homelessness and disease transmission.
In Merchants' Quay we carry out our own research. Research at a local and an international level informs our best practice in the care and treatment of drug users. In our work we take the harm reduction approach. The principle feature of this is the acceptance of the fact that all drug users cannot be expected to cease their drug use at the present time.
The complex problem of drug use must be tackled through a variety of treatment options and development programmes. Merchant's Quay provides these options in its various centres. Under the direction of Tony Geoghegan, it offers services that include crisis intervention, syringe exchange, stabilisation of lifestyle, detox and drug free programmes. We give Tony our full support in this work - Yours, etc., Fr Sean Cassin and Fr Gerr Raftery,
OFM, - Guardian, OFM, - Justice Director, Merchants' Quay, Dublin 2