Sir, - The Irish Times on August 24th carried an interview with a "Mark (not his real name)" described as "a vigilante and resident of the Summerhill/Buckingham Street area of Dublin. Involved in ICON (Inner City Organisations Network), he has been a worker on the City Wide Campaign Against Drugs for the past year".
Whatever may be the accuracy of the various statements made by or about "Mark", the last is a figment of his imagination. He cannot be a worker for the campaign, if only because the campaign does not employ any workers. We would like to do so, but lack the funding.
The Irish Times might, when it uses anonymous sources such as "Mark", check the veracity of its claims with other "informed sources" - in this instance, members of the steering committee elected by the City Wide Campaign. The City Wide Campaign does not support self appointed vigilantes. Nor is there great enthusiasm for such action even in the communities most affected by the heroin crisis.
On behalf of the Steering Committee. - Yours, etc.,
Dublin City Wide Drugs
Crisis Campaign,
108 Amiens Street, Dublin 1.
Kitty Holland writes: "Mark" was introduced to me as a vigilante by a respected member of the City Wide Campaign against Drugs for which he does voluntary work. No implication was intended that his vigilante activities were connected with ICON.