Cocaine epidemic has hit in Wexford

THE explosion of cocaine use across the country has well and truly found its way to Wexford. That was the message from local councillors speaking to senior gardaí at last week’s meeting of the Joint Policing Committee at county hall. The councillors noted that worryingly, once again, cocaine appeared to be the drug of choice among young people the county over.

Cllr Fionntán Ó’Súilleabháin raised concerns over a perceived lack of resources when tackling the scourge of drugs in the north of the county in particular.

‘I’m told that people can find drugs very easily in most pubs nowadays,’ he said.

‘Even people coming from out of town, it doesn’t take long for them to link in with the local dealer. If it’s so easy for people to find them, then why can’t undercover gardaí find these people?’

Cllr Ger Carthy raised major concerns about the resources being allocated to the drugs squad in Co Wexford.

Chief Supt Ferry said that a newly launched ‘Operation Tara’ would see an increase in the drugs squad, which currently has eight members countywide - 4 in Wexford, 2 in Enniscorthy and 2 in Gorey.

Chief Supt Ferry noted a gap in New Ross and said it was something that he hoped to address, however, it was noted that despite the absence of a dedicated drugs squad, the numbers in relation to tackling drugs in the area were good.

Cllr Jim Codd said that working with young people as a teacher for 25 years, he had seen firsthand the increase in drug use among youngsters.

‘The reality is that for many of them now, smoking hash is the equivalent of drinking a few cans a beer when I was a young lad,’ he said.

‘Heroin and cocaine have found their way into the remotest villages in Co Wexford. If we think we’re winning this battle... I really wonder if we are.’

Chief Supt Ferry said that a ‘multi-agency approach’ was required and that gardaí would also be seeking to attend schools and offer workshops with the goal of informing young people of the inherent dangers of taking drugs.