Fundraising crucial to maintaining Red Door
THE Red Door project has been in operation since 2010, but it has been seven years since the level of funding they receive from the HSE has increased.
Indeed, that amount – a mere €149,000 – probably wouldn’t pay for the electricity for the premises for a year, not to mention fund the incredible addiction and recovery service they provide to hundreds in the north east.
“Sadly, we have to rely very heavily on fundraising, but thankfully the people in Drogheda are very generous,” says manager Louise Mahoney.
“We are the only drug addiction service in the town – the HSE only has one counsellor here – and yet the funding hasn’t increased since we opened and have to rely on the Department of Social Protection grant and the public.”
Louise says many organisations are in denial about the scale of the drug problem in Drogheda, with children as young as 10 smoking cannabis on a regular basis.
“Some people still think we don’t have an issue here and of course we do,” she explains.
“We are the biggest town in Ireland and have a problem in proportion with that, and a waiting list for methadone, so that will give you an idea.
“Just look outside any secondary or even primary school, as you will see what we might be dealing with in the future.”
Louise says they would love to be able to treat many more people per year.
“We are hugely cost effective to the State, because if we keep one person out of jail per year, they save a fortune, and we have done it hundreds of times,” she explains.
“If they are managing their addiction, they don’t need to fund a habit, and we aim to provide role models here too, to help keep them focused.”
Louise hopes that Drogheda will start to be included in more natiional funding soon, as she points out that we can often fall between the two stools of Dublin and Dundalk.
“It is not a myth that we lose out a lot of funding to Dundalk, “As a result, the staff here haven’t had a pay increase in years.”
If you would like to fundraise for the Red Door contact Louise on (041) 9804957.