W2B-017 Drugs - Child abuse-1.txt
Reclaiming the Community

Meath Street, in the heart of Dublin's south inner city, has long been depicted as a sort of urban 'badlands' where junkies and dealers congregate in large numbers and theft and violence are commonplace.

Feargal Connolly, of the Meath Street-based Community Response project, is angered by the media's negative stereotyping of the area. "Headlines like 'South Inner City Like the Bronx' are written by people who don't come from the area and who don't care. This sort of sensationalism doesn't do anything to help us improve our image, or deal with the drug problem."

The response group - one of many nationwide - was set up in 1990, towards the end of the 1980s drug epidemic. Once the epidemic had decreased in size and severity, there was no one organising against the big drug pushers. This void was filled by the Community Response, amongst others.

The main function of the group, as Connolly describes it, is "to develop a response within the community around drugs, HIV, AIDS and drug-related crime." This is achieved through work in prevention - with schools, youth groups and training workshops - and by educating children about the options which are open to them.

In the wake of recent events around the city involving vigilante tenants evicting known drug pushers, the general consensus appears to be one of sympathy amongst the residents. Many people have seen whole families decimated by the scourge of drug abuse and, inevitably, AIDS.

In the recent past, some residents have been holding meetings where accused pushers are given the chance to defend themselves before being told to leave the area. It's a case of leave, or be forced to leave. Violence, however, is uncommon. With the dealers rather than the users targeted, Feargal states: "We are always very wary that people who have a problem are not targeted in that process."

Whatever way affected communities decide to deal with the big boys of the drug world, they can be sure of support from agencies and community groups, if not the politicians, who, in Feargal Connolly's opinion, need to be "more accountable to the people" in the war against the big dealers.
