The problem with illegal drugs in Tipperary has gotten so bad that Primary school children are taking them.
That’s the view of Councillor Fiona Bonfield during a debate on the issue during this months meeting of the Nenagh Municipal District.
Councillor Seamie Morris highlighted the need for education for students heading into 3rd level education and alleged there was open drug dealing in Galway during the recent Rag Week.
Councillor Bonfield said unfortunately the issue wasn’t just for 3rd level students.
“I have come across circumstances where families will tell you that the initial process will have started in Primary School – it seems to be getting younger and younger.
“I suppose as a local Councillor you’re going around to different organisations and different events and you do hear from the locals and from the business owners, you know the people in general, that its an issue and it’s all boiling back to drugs – and drugs in younger people. It’s scary.”
The Newport based public representative said there are a number of reasons for this including the ongoing problem of insufficient Garda numbers.
However Fiona Bonfield says at the end of the day it’s down to people supplying the illegal drugs.
“There’s dealing going on everywhere – it’s going on in the schools, it’s going on at the street corners, it’s going on in areas where children hang out.
“It starts with the dealers locally but again who is supplying the dealers locally is the bigger problem.
“At the end of the day we can bring in laws and bring in bye-laws but they only go so far – at the end of the day all those laws have to be enforced and that boils back to the Guards. The Guards on the beat and Guards in the towns on the street and unfortunately to me we need a lot more Gardaí on the beat.”
