Debate contribution: Treatment and Recovery Centre in the North-west

Debate contribution by Mrs Ciara Ferguson on 4 March 2025.

MLA

Mrs Ciara Ferguson

Party at the time

Sinn Féin

Date

4 March 2025

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Opposition Business

Heading

Treatment and Recovery Centre in the North-west

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 4833390

Read the official Assembly record

Text

The issue of substance use and addiction is of utmost importance, particularly in the north-west. As we have heard, it has touched the lives of so many individuals, families and communities across our society. I particularly acknowledge those who are dealing with the grief of losing a loved one to addiction and the many who are helping and supporting their loved one in very difficult situations now, this evening, tomorrow and the next day. I also thank the Member for tabling the motion, which acknowledges the significant economic and social costs of untreated addiction and the need for planning for increased rehabilitation and recovery infrastructure. The motion covers much of what was in my party colleague Órlaithí Flynn's motion from almost a year ago, in April 2024. She raised serious concerns about the official statistics on drug-related and drug-misuse deaths and rightly acknowledged the connection between poverty, social deprivation, isolation, mental health and addiction issues. Alcohol-specific deaths and deaths in which alcohol has been identified as a contributor have been increasing over the past two decades here. Between 2001 and 2019, deaths as a direct result of alcohol misuse increased by nearly 50%. In addition, during the five years up to 2023, the number of such deaths in the most deprived areas was almost four times higher than in the least deprived. We have also seen a considerable rise in drug-related deaths in the past two decades. In 2022, 154 lives were lost due to drugs. That was a 40% rise from the 2012 figures. On the basis of a three-year rolling average, it is clear that annual drug-related deaths have almost doubled, rising from around 100 per year in 2010 to 200 per year in the period from 2020 to 2024. It is fair to say that the numbers of drug-related deaths here are some of the highest in western Europe. Unsurprisingly, that is markedly linked to deprivation. As someone said, we need to mention the elephant in the room: the fact that we live in a post-conflict generation with intergenerational trauma. It will be fundamental that we focus not only on factors such as poverty and destitution but on the importance of trauma-informed responses. Like many Members, I have met so many incredible, compassionate, concerned and committed individuals in Derry City who go above and beyond in community groups and in health, advice, housing, homelessness, youth and education services. Many have mentioned the fantastic centres that we have. We are really fortunate to have the committed staff and volunteers in the likes of the Northlands Centre, Hurt, Depaul, AA, Start 360, the Western Drug and Alcohol Coordination Team (WDACT), Inspire, Foyle Haven and ARC Fitness; I could go on. Due to the need on the ground, the volunteers in those organisations have committed themselves — committed their lives, sometimes — to supporting those who face an addiction. They, too, feel the impact. I would be delighted, Minister — I have invited you — if you could get down to see some of those organisations, particularly Hurt. I know that you were not able to get down to its 20th anniversary, but it provides an amazing service in its centre, and I would be keen for you to see the work that is being done on the ground. Front-line staff in the Depaul charity have noted that, in 2023, front-line administrations of naloxone in our constituency increased by 259%. That life-saving medication can be used to reverse the effects of drug overdoses, so that increase shows you the scale of the problem that we are dealing with in the city. I want to reflect the fact that behind every statistic that we have mentioned today is a human life and a family. Sometimes, loved ones and children are left behind. We should treat every death as preventable and agree across the Chamber on the need to redouble our effort, focus on adequate funding and look to international best practice. The research has been done. I acknowledge the Department's work in introducing the substance use strategic commissioning and implementation plan, which was launched in November 2024; the substance use needs assessment in the Western Trust area, which was launched in November 2024; and the review of tier 4 detoxification and rehabilitation services, the consultation on which has just finished. We have had enough reports and research. The evidence is there now, and it is for the Department and the Minister to invest in the services and support our organisations —

— that deliver an amazing service on the ground.

759 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

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Assessed 21 October 2026 at 12:05 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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