Community remembers drug victims

A community came together once again last night in its campaign to create awareness of the dangers of drugs and to commemorate those who have died from drug-related causes.

About 200 people from Dublin's north-east inner city gathered at Buckingham Street for the symbolic lighting of a Christmas tree.

The event was organised by the Inner City Organisations Network (ICON), which said that since 1980 more than 200 families in the community have lost loved ones to drugs.

"With the setting up of the Christmas tree, there was for the first time public recognition that addiction not only affected the addict but also the whole family, extended family and the whole community," Paddy Malone of ICON said.

The Garda band provided music for the occasion and Archbishop Diarmuid Martin gave a speech at the ceremony, which is now in its 11th year.

In his speech Archbishop Martin stressed how he believed the "community is very important in the fight against drugs. It is in the interest of those who resort to gangland violence and those who are involved in the sordid commerce of drugs to weaken the community.

"It is very easy to call drugs recreational but those of you who have lost a loved one can see what a terrible form of recreation it is," the archbishop said.

Candles were distributed to members of the 200 strong crowd who gathered and a wreath was laid alongside the Christmas tree to commemorate those who have died. Over the coming weeks local people will attach messages for the loved ones they have lost to the tree. Local TD Tony Gregory said the tree was an "important symbol" to the people who have been bereaved by drugs in the locality. "Heroin is still being sold in this area, but the community is much stronger and organised against it now. Regrettably, the problem is still there and it continues to kill people.

"Heroin is rooted in social deprivation and the only thing you can do to root out heroin is to develop resources like drug education at pre-school and in particular primary levels to give these young people a chance," Mr Gregory said.