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Video: Michelle Hennessy/TheJournal.ie
DUBLIN’S LORD MAYOR Christy Burke has said that the drugs problem in Dublin is worse now than it was during the heroin epidemic thirty years ago.
During the 1980s, Burke was a prominent member of the Concerned Parents Against Drugs movement.
It was heroin in my day, today it’s prescribed pills, cocaine, benzos, hash, dalmane, librium, valium: it’s a whole cocktail.
Burke said authorities are not adequately dealing with the issue, and has called for more residential beds and treatment centres for addicts.
He said that 300 people died from heroin in his constituency at the height of the epidemic, adding that the current anti-drugs model in the capital only “scratches the surface”.
Burke said addicts leave centres in the afternoon with nowhere to go and are offered drugs that evening.
“It’s very hard to say ‘no’ when you’re vulnerable to addiction.”
He told TheJournal.ie it was extremely hypocritical that some people want the methadone centres to help addicts, but not in their own area.
I don’t buy into that, honest to God, I really don’t buy into any of that type of crap to be honest with you. Because that type of behaviour happened in Amiens Street in 1985 when a methadone clinic was introduced and there were people opposing it. Some of them ended up in it and some of their sons and daughters were on [heroin]. So where do you put it?
Everyone with an addiction has the right to recovery. Nobody woke up one morning and said: ‘I’m going to become a heroin addict or a cocaine addict, so bring it on.’ … Do they object to pubs in their area? No. So the myth that’s out there that methadone [clinics] shouldn’t be there is hypocrisry of the highest level.
Burke said he understands why people are scared of addicts because they “roar and shout and scream by nature”.
“It’s the addiction, the aggressiveness. Joe or Mrs Citizen on the street rightly gets nervous about that. There has to be something done in relation to that.”
Burke said crime drama Love/Hate showed an accurate portrayal of what happens on Dublin’s streets:
“I could have wrote that script because that’s what does go on in certain areas.”
Burke said that some days he feels like resigning over the sheer scale of the homelessness crisis.
The mayor helps to provide food and clothing for people living on Dublin’s streets alongside Inner City Helping Homeless. Last night the group counted 86 rough sleepers.
Burke was one of the driving forces behind the emergency homeless summit that took place in Dublin on 4 December following the death of Jonathan Corrie just meters from Leinster House.
I welcome the government’s announcements – they should have been done 20 years ago, they weren’t listening to me 20 years ago. Unfortunately poor Jonathan Corrie had to die outside a national parliament for it to become a national disgrace.
Then after that when I took Enda Kenny out on a run to show him the real homelessness then there’s €25 million put on the table, there’s 270 beds found within a week, there was an all-night café, there was €2.2 billion housing programme…
Burke said that no matter what is done some people will still remain on the streets as homelessness is such a complex issue.
The government has promised to provide 5,384 social housing units this year.
This morning alone, Burke said he received 56 calls about housing issues, including one from a woman who had attempted suicide last night due to uncertainty over where she and her children would live.
“The supply isn’t there to meet the demand.”
It drains me, I can’t say otherwise. I mean, on Monday we had 106 calls. It goes on. It gets me, the frustration of it gets me.
Today is getting to me, where people turn to me and I’m as destitute as they are. There’s nothing I can do because the system doesn’t allow me to do anything.
Originally published 8.01pm
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Hopefully argorant kelly gets a dose of reality next election and people dont vote for him
Unfortunately Tipperary who gives us Lowry again and again cannot be trusted to get rid of Kelly.
Poor Alan. Take he missed the 6 one news . in was well on the agenda then. Take it he missed rte giving free publicity to the opposition to water charges.
It’s north tipp who gave ye Lowry and kelly different next election when it’s the full county they’re not liked in the south at all
So he divides his time between IW and the homeless crisis? He’s been a real servant to the country hasn’t he? See you on the 23rd Alan.
Still an issue for me, in fact it’s a red line. I possibly would have voted FG if it wasn’t for water charges.
Methinks , Alan , has Water on the brain , a little like iPhone Joan, has Water everywhere , since her major boat sinking conspiracy affair !
Has ‘Tipperary Water Alan’, not noticed, that Ireland has a deluge of Water ?
‘Tis trying to rid ourselves of the surplus, is what’s needed Alan , surely ?
The Company which DOB does so well out of, ‘is dead in the water’ , Alan !
Irish Water – is a gonner Alan !!!
The man has Lost the plot. He will pay the price come the general election.
Did his brother in Teneo tell him that over christmas dinner. The man epitomises what labour has become, lapdogs for anyone who’ll have them.
Bertie,the people in South Tipperary have a say in it this time,both of them are hated down here.
He’s a puppet that has morphed into a muppet.
Nothing would please me more Mick to see him getting his smug arrogant face rubbed into the shite he spurts out
kelly is a pariah in labour never mind with public,,soon he shall be no more
The only reason that “Irish Water” appears to have gone off the agenda is because Alan Kelly has told “Irish Water” to keep a low profile and not antagonize anyone during the run up to the elections and the media has also complied in assisting him to do so. But make no mistake, this issue is far from “off the agenda”….just because it’s not reported in the mainstream media does not make it so………AK and Labour are in for a rude awakening.
Just seen him in 6 o Clock news – arrogance is too polite a word to describe him. The people of Tipperary vote for very strange representatives. If this guy is re elected and a Minster or taniste then God help the poor Irish people. The man must have ice in his veins and a robotic brain devoid of understanding of the hardship he has imposed on people struggling to pay their ordinary electric and heating bills
a lot of shananigans going on there sharon
Kelly and Lowry look after their constituency with everybody else’s money..
Lowry of course is independently wealthy enough to be Santa Claus to his constituents.
Kelly has an open cheque book, from the taxes paid by the rest of Ireland.
When will people cop on.?
True they seem to like sleeveens down there.
Mick i said here on the Journal that Lowry was from South Tipp thanks for educating me won’t make that mistake again. Sorry
Alan Kelly is clueless. Failed to promote the water quango and has failed to deliver a proper response to the homelessness crisis.
Water it doesn’t fall from the sky you know.
It…does you know??????
Do you drink rainwater?
Ah Comical Alan. The git that keeps on giving!
Let him knock on my door and I’ll show him if its gone away or not!
Don’t forget, despite this buffoons disastrous handling of everything he touches, IW is the barsteward child of the fascist Fine Gael party.
How anyone could vote for any of these is way beyond my understanding.
Barry Cowan has some neck, his brother was the cause of all the cuts originally!
You can’t choose your family Pepper Brookes. If your brother was a murderer does that make you one?
Linda if your brother committed murder and you still defended him despite overwhelming evidence what would that make you? Who in their right mind would trust with their vote?
Larry….that’s a fierce ‘left hook’ you have there!
Muppet he is. Just because the media is silent on the issue at the moment dos not mean its gone away. Most people have just gone on with life as they use the quarterly newsletter from a company called Irish water as a fire starter.
Colm, the media is under orders to be silent on the issue. Kelly knows this single issue is enough to bring this government down.
And it will Dave, we should mention here on the Journal every night lest people think everyone is paying, i dint know how many letters I’ve got from IW and i am collecting them.
I am not paying.
Certainly delusional. He also wants to lead the labour party. It would help if you get elected first Alan and I dont see that happening.
Hi seamus og Alan can lead the Labour Party and so can anyone who wants as I’m done supporting them as I have done for over forty years.
He obviously missed the Six one news last night with the report that was cut because of water protesters in the background. The man is delusional
so he claims that housing and homelessness take up 50% of his time yet there have been little or no inroads in these areas, so basically he is being paid to do pretty much nothing of value. Along with no doubt his highly paid advisors who actually make the decisions. Why do we have TDs again when its the advisors and civil servants running the show?
i’m breakinbg my own rule here by commenting about someone I have never met, but I generally hate arrogance in all its forms, and this man comes across as very arrogant.
PMSL!
Get back to us January 24th al…..
Just P yourself more like it. I’d suggest incontinent panties with rubber under pants.
Gerry’s Lad!
Don’t forget the next protest alan, January 23rd
http://www.right2water.ie/blog/right2water-campaign-calls-local-protests-saturday-23rd-january
“The Right2Water campaign has called for a series of nationwide demonstrations to take place on Saturday, 23rd January 2016 – including a major demonstration in Dublin city centre.”
What an arrogant ass. That will fuel more people into the streets for the next mass mobilisation. Nice one Kelly youuuuu plonker
I will be at the water protest march. I do not belong to any political party.
Vote aagainst cronyism and ccorruption
Christy Agree.
Not forgotten Mr kelly, just like the house hold charge, not forgotten, an election soon than God (metaphorically speaking)
Once again Alan demonstrates his stupidity. If he thinks Irish Water was “off the agenda”, he has put it firmly back centre stage. Thanks Alan!.
I received another request for monies from Irish water today – odd as I’m not nor will ever be a customer of theirs. I chucked it in the bin as I don’t see the logic paying multiple times for my water. Kelly can stick his head in the sand all he likes as that will make kicking his backside all the easier in the GE! Looking forward to the 23rd and another peaceful protest in Dublins fair city – a timely reminder for Kelly / Walter Mitty & Burton.
Alan is too busy putting up election posters
to be worried about water protesters
To put in water meters at the moment
you would need Scuba gear
Water charges are not the only thing that has not gone away. Let’s see now siteserve, fennelly, property tax,tribunals corruption, cronyism, lies and that is only the tip to the ice berg. The people won’t forget this time.
Maybe it’s off his agenda, too busy having unminuted meetings with prospective tenderers. He can always go and get “emotional” again, like it really worked last time. Muppet.
Lets hoped the voting public are not deluded and get rid of this clown.
3-5% of his time!
That explains a lot!
Roll on #GE2015
*2016
Will the constitutes of North Tipperary vote Kelly out and do their national duty on behalf of the rest of us. The only way to refocus this myoptic clown is the fear of what will happen in the polling stations in the next few months
gone off the agenda, is he for real, hundreds of thousands have not paid any of the three bills issued so far, i am one, i have received umpteen texts “telling” me to contact IW “IMMEDIATELY” to make payment. they wont be getting a call or a payment anytime this century from me. this has not gone off the agenda at all. as long as people stick to their guns and refuse to pay and correspond with IW then this is very much still on the agenda.
he must have said this with his fingers in his ears, eyes firmly shut. Clown.
Lets not forget……. DOB…. SITESERVE….CONNECTION………
Never, corrupt to the core
Roll on the general election Kelly when you and your other latchie coats will be going off the Agenda
He is looking for votes, its has rained so much with the last 4weeks, their is a surplus of water in oure little republic and kelly wont rock the boat if you parden the punt…
I get the feeling most have decided that they are not paying this unjust charge and are content with staying home burning the bills instead of doing more marches. That said, hearing Mr Kelly ramble on and on going against the public wishes makes that idea harder to take, and they will be out on the 23rd. Not as big as usual (the media will DEFINITELY take notice) but enough to still send the message that opposition will never go away while IW is in its current form.
The Git
I’ll have a pint of whatever he’s drinking, it seems to be good stuff if it gives him that sort of a buzz.
The bear may have his eyes closed,but he is definitely not sleeping kelly
Its Funny how the recent torrential rainfall, and flooding, has put a rather jovial, and ironic twist, on the whole situation…and of course im not talking about the victims, but Irish water..
As martin conway said, “water just doesn’t fall from the sky, somebody has to pay for it”….idiot…
Mr Kelly is a very silly boy indeed.
Angry Kelly putting on a brave face,and they are hitting each other inside the party,both parties.80% of fg want enda gone, but afraid to say it,jhn perry took them to court for corruption in politics,no one wants to know him in fg.they are all in for a hammering in GE.
Irish water will finish him & labour & goverment
We need a law that stops leeches like him and brutal from getting big fat pensions from government only 5 years and they are minted for life
The real figure for non payment of the irish water scam is 70% and its not on Kelly’s agenda. Well it wont matter anyway as Liebour will be confined to the dustbin of history shortly and good riddance.
Unless there is a very strong anti water electorate in his constituency , I’d say he will probably get re elected ..remember it’s a PR system . He only needs about 4,200 1st preference votes,then transfers will get him in.
The transfer system just seems so ridiculous and undemocratic to me. Can anyone explain how it’s fair and logical that someone who doesn’t get voted for can still be “voted” in??
Royston or cyprian Brady ….One was a Lord mayor the other was one who got elected on the berts transfers
The transfer system is undemocratic? Are you actually serious?
It’s about as democratic as a vote can get.
Anyone voting based only on water charges deserves exactly what they get.
There is no magic money tree. Things cost money. You have to pay. The insane welfare state that has been created simply has to be limited. Ordinary taxpayers cannot be made to pay more for those who will not do for themselves.
Anyone who believes SF/PBP/AAA will deliver on everything they promised will be as angry with them in a year or two as they are with Labour now.
Dear Lord Joe, how long have you lived here and still don’t get PR-STV it’s served us well since the foundation of the state and makes room for minority views like AAA and PBP. Ye wouldn’t get a look in in a FPTP system.
Cyprian Brady got in Royston works in a hotel in the USA
@Alan… so you’re saying you can’t explain it then? Anyone who starts their points with “anyone who” isn’t really making any point.
@Justin… yeah, served us really well. Look how our country is running like a well-oiled machine thanks to the exemplary leadership we’ve enjoyed thus far.
Alan, if it was just that water needs to be paid for – the issue might well go away. The facts that Irish Water has been set up as an accounting trick to enable the idiot government to pay off the freakin bond holders, at the behest of the Troika, and that the set up of Irish Water is so rife with cronyism and horrendous mistakes in setting it up, are the issues that will not go away…
Correct about the welfare state…i know people who have never worked and have lived on welfare since leaving school 20 years ago. Even during the boom.
Well made point Dave!
Darren… i know people who don’t claim anything off anyone and also do voluntary work. Even in the recession. What’s your point?
Alan,
But there is a magic money tree. It’s called the ECB who as a central bank create (and delete) money at will. Most nations retain control of their central bank (magic money tree) but the Eurozone nations have relinquished that control to an institution which does not serve the interests of the majority.
@Dave Harris: Hear, hear!
Dave….Alan loves paying off bondholders with his money, he’d much prefer paying gamblers debts, than have water piped to his house.
Jez, I knew this fella was one helluva GOBS*ite, but this takes the feckin biscuit……… !!!
C’mon the 23rd !!
Why oh why are we inflicted with this level of stupidity Alan Kelly is a hopeless case and will never learn because of his arrogance
Kelly won’t have to dedicate any percentage of his time to thinking about anything political after the next election because he and Labour will be destroyed by the people they betrayed and turned against, he’s just another arrogant little man trying to stay in power on the coat tails of FG while leaving his pre-election promises conveniently behind him, back to obscurity with ya :)
Kelly reminds me of father dougal……except his stupidity costs the taxpayer money, why don’t ya go on tv again alan and look for a sympathy vote cos it didnt work the last time..
Wanchors, wanchors everywhere in wellies watching the waters engulf people’s homes and doing sod all!
Kelly and Cowen. What a pair of testicles!
He is correct….sheep have short memories…..
Charging sheep for water makes them remember Labour every time a bill comes through the letterbox. AK is on his last legs.
Iraq had Chemical Ali and we have Comical Alan.
Just saw this deluded oinseach on RTE 6.1 , and he was talking the same kind of delusional tripe, about the Government’s etc.response to the flooding crisis. It seems that he feels once he can convince himself alls OK , then everyone else will go along with his fantasy. He needs early retirement!
Two high preferences for labour are no more because of this issue. How does that suit you kelly?
Only Tr@itors would allow private interests to own the Irish peoples water.
What a joke and the property charges haven’t either, who remembers Enda bringing in property tax to save the banks and now they are saved and the taxes still remain???
What does he take us for?
This guy is in cloud koo koo land
These people in government don’t care what the populous think of them, they are not interested, he is there for his big fat pension, early retirement or a job in the EU dictatorship when he has finished screwing up ordinary peoples lives.
Enda is a dictator and a traitor to his Country, he should have stayed in Castlebar teaching. Did you ever notice when he is talking he is like a child in the school yard.
I suppose we will have 150,000 -200,000 out on the 24 then yeah?
23
God Bless Irish Water.
Whether people turn up or not is not issue. I probably won’t get to the march but I certainly WONT be paying Irish Water a single cent !!!!
Alan Kelly can take his arrogance and bullying and go to hell .
Which effing god is it this time?
I take it Paul, that’s the number trying to fit meters.
Maybe more Paul do join us.
we have to pay water charges like every other europeen country if we don’t our water will taste like dishwater in a few years so come on Ireland we on the up again so pay up
We do, over a billion through general taxation every year, and even that isn’t enough for IW as they scooped up extra due for road tax.
It started off we pay for water already,
Then we pay twice,no it’s 3 times!
Figures stated at 300M pays for water through general taxation by anti water people,then 500M,
Now it’s s billion?????
10,000 go on a protest,
Anti water says its between 50,000-70,000.
Honestly where do you get these figures from,
Is it just made up to suit the Moore of the day?
joeythelad……it must have been terrible to live without water until Irish Water was set up…..how did you cope?
I have to agree. I just don’t get the argument that people in Urban areas already pay. I get my supply through a group scheme which I actually *pay* for. My parents have been paying into a similar scheme now for 40 years. If I don’t pay I get cut off – simples. So, if I follow the protesters logic, not alone do I have to pay for my own water and I also forced to pay for water users in Urban areas through my general taxation. It’s about time that urban users were asked to pay for their own water usage the same as rural users have been doing now for generations.
Pat…….you live in a rural area and the price of your house would be a lot cheaper than if it were in an urban area. Now, when you first decided to buy a house in a rural area….were you surprised by having to join a group water scheme or did you already have that planned?
Perhaps as not many of us use the road just outside your house….we should let you fund that yourself.
BTW…..this year will see the end of the grant given to group water schemes since 1997 by the Government,
so….stand by to receive bigger bills from your local scheme. The Government grant was removed in order to pay for the ‘water conservation grant’.
Just in case you need to know…I live rural too.
Al, unfortunately I don’t think that is the argument. We don’t have any street lights, footpaths and other urban amenities etc either if you get me. The argument by the protestors is that water is a human right and should not have to be paid for or paid for twice or three times etc. It just totally ignores the fact that rural people have been paying all along and are scratching their heads at protesters. The other people on my road feel the same – I’ve checked.
You missed the point. You, like me…choose to live rural. How much do you pay yearly for water?
Make no mistake, all group schemes will eventually be taken under the wing of IW and then you can expect bills of €1000 a year plus.
Al, I get your point. I did choose to live rural. I pay 220 to the scheme for 2016, about 85 for salt for my softener and most years 100 for the sewerage. That about 400 a year, give or take from one year to the next ex grant. How about you, how much do you pay? I do reckon that Irish water will eventually take over the schemes, you are right there and the bills could eventually go north. My point is that essentially I am in favour of everyone paying something for their water usage directly. Am I wrong in thinking that the majority of the protests are to do with people being against the concept of direct water charges as they feel they already pay and that anyone who pays twice for their water is a fool? I don’t believe there are many anti water charge votes to be gotten in rural areas but that will all be answered in a few weeks :) if Irish Water is disbanded under a new government then I think it is only fair that rural water schemes should be fully paid for and maintained through general taxation. Would you agree?
He is one relaxed man in real life. Very easy going.
He always offers you one of his tayto crisps straight from the bag and never squeezes the bottom of the bag so you cant get a good few. Unlike a FG politician who will remain nameless who always squeezes the bottom of the bag so I can only get a few tiny crisps from the top.
Gone off the agenda, Whys that Alan because you have completely gave up on them?? Because thats what its looking like from here!!
He and his party will soon find out how much it is gone off the agenda. I would like to point out too this arrogance his party has 1 yes 1 councillor in Cork City Council and Cork County Council the biggest County in the country.
Kelly lives in kuku land, he hasn’t an iota what the Irish are going through, our mr minister.
m.youtube.com/watch?v=jGhdjNX50-8
Dose
God help us all if seek the ff party that bankrupt our country to return and try again
Alan Kelly is to politics what Josef Fritzl is to childcare
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