Child brings home drug-filled syringe

A Navan mother was shocked and outraged last week when her seven-year-old son came home carrying a syringe he found while he was playing nearby, which contained what appeared to be heroin. They syringe was found under a tree where children play at the boundary between Townspark estate and Beechmount and caused alarm among the local community. The find was reported to Gardai. Lorraine Furphy from Townspark, whose seven-year-old son Adam found the syringe, said she has still not got over the shock but said that, thankfully, Adam had not been pricked by the needle. She said: "He is only seven and came in with it in his hand at about 4.15pm. He said he found it around 'the gap'. I am not over the shock yet. I didn't sleep at all that night. Adam didn't get pricked and he was sensible enough not to, though he did pick it up. He thought it was a straw." Ms Furphy said she had screamed at him to drop it when he came into the house and that Adam had got a fright after seeing her reaction. She added that she had moved from Dublin "to get away from the likes of this". She asked how does a parent explain drugs to a seven-year-old and a four-year-old, but that is what they had to do. "I can't get over the fact that someone would be so flippant. We try to protect our kids and for a seven-year-old to come in with this, is not on. It could have been a life or death situation," added Ms Furphy. She said there are plans for the gap to be closed but said they cannot wait that long, or until a child is injured or worse. Another local mother, Kimberly Hoare, was also outraged by the incident. She said the area around the syringe had been searched and that a piece of tinfoil and needles also had been found in the bushes nearby. Ms Hoare said it is "sick" that they have to warn their children not to touch needles and that they have to be told what it is. She added that other items, including underwear, condoms and glass, have also been found in the area. Ms Hoare said: "I have three children under seven. Everyone is worried and the majority of people at this end have small children." Meanwhile, following the incident, Sinn Fein councillor Peadar Tóibín has issued a warning to parents and children in Navan not to touch any needles that they find lying about in the town. Cllr Tóibín said: "These needles can contain blood-borne diseases such as Hepatitis C and HIV and, in the case where the finder's skin is broken, they may be susceptible to contracting these diseases. If a needle is found, contact the Gardaí without delay," he said. "I am calling on the Government to put the necessary political will and capital behind the fight against drugs in the town. In the last few months, I have received reports from a number of areas complaining that needles have been found. At a time when the Aisling Drug Awareness Group is receiving increased referrals of heroin users, this Government has slashed their funds," he added. Cllr Tóibín added that the Aisling Group had been forced to survive on its own fundraising ability since last December due to Goverment cutbacks and said that the Gardai also need to be given the proper resources to increase patrols and surveillance in the town. Cllr Tóibín has also appealed to parents to "ensure they know where their kids are at all times" and is urging parents to keep a close eye on their children, who they are hanging around with and in what state the children are when they get home. He said that parents concerned about their children and drugs should contact the Aisling Group on (046) 907 4300.