Concerns over levels of drug abuse in Buncrana

A call has been made for more Garda resources to be assigned to the drugs unit in Inishowen amid concerns about the rise of drug use nationally.

Concern about the level of drug use in Buncrana was raised at the most recent meeting of the Donegal Joint Policing Committee (JPC).

Cllr Rena Donaghey congratulated gardaí on the number of drugs finds in the county and country recently.

The Buncrana-based councillor called for more resources to be assigned to the drugs unit in town.

The increase in the number of drug users and pushers “is scary”, she said.

She added there had been six gardaí assigned to the drugs unit based in Buncrana several years ago. The unit had achieved “great results” but it has since been scaled down.

She said the unit now consists of two gardaí which is “totally inadequate” for a town the size of Buncrana.

“Drug abuse is just raging out of control in Ireland,” she said.

Buncrana-based councillor Nicholas Crossan supported the concerns expressed about growing levels of drug abuse.

He said Irish society is facing a huge crisis due to drugs.

“It is nearly as handy to get drugs in Buncrana as a pint,” he said.

“We have a crisis on our hands and if it deteriorates as much in the next few years as it did in the last few years, we will be looking at a worse pandemic than we have at the present moment in time.”

Inspector David Durkin said that when normal policing returns, the strength of the drugs unit in the town could be looked at.

“We are acutely aware of the drugs problem in this county and indeed nationally.

“It is something that is high up in our priorities to try and keep on top of and that is reflected in some of the detections we have had,” he said.