‘I feel like crying, this is a major setback and I’ve been doing well’

Concern that drug problems in Navan and across County Meath will rise, have been expressed as the HSE moves the Navan Methadone clinic to Drogheda.

Walter Fagan is a worried recovering addict who said that the loss of the service could threaten his recovery.

“I feel like crying. This is a major setback and I have been so doing well,” he said.

Walter has been off heroin for almost a year, with help from the clinic, which was originally in Leighsbrook and later in Johnstown.

“I have been taking methadone and reducing it gradually and doing well.

“The clinic has been a lifesaver for me.

“I've been getting back on my feet, I've reconnected with my family and have been with working with Job Matters to try and get a job.

“This has come as a terrible blow. I know they have difficulty with a premises for the clinic, but it could be located in the hospital grounds, possibly in the old dentist premises.”

Water explains that he got involved in drugs over four years ago, when his marriage broke down.

“It was a downward spiral. I lost my job because of it and ended up living on the streets of Dublin.”

His recovery was hard but with the help of Merchants Quay Clinic and The Lantern in Ashbourne he has been clean of heroin for almost a year and the methadone programme is a very important part of his recovery.

“It has been a great help. I lost my sister in August, and they were a real lifesaver for me”.

Walter was devastated last week when he got a call from the clinic to say it was being moved to Drogheda.

“They gave me a prescription for two weeks, but after that I will have to travel to Drogheda. I have a number of health problems which will leave it very difficult for me to go to Drogheda and I am really worried that this will set me back.

“I want to stay clean.”

Walter points out that there are many others in the same boat as him and some recovering addicts in Kells and Trim who would have to get a number of buses to get to Drogheda.

Cllr Eddie Fennessy said a number of service users contacted him last week to voice their concerns about the relocation of a methadone clinic from Navan to Drogheda.

“This will leave Meath without services to treat recovering addicts.

“Those I spoke with have genuine concerns that a relapse to hard drugs will happen if this move goes ahead. This is a dangerous development, methadone users returning to hard drugs run a very high risk of overdosing.

“There's been much community opposition to the location of methadone clinics in the past, it's a thorny issue and one that requires very careful consideration. What's provided is a clinical service and I believe a hospital campus is the best location to facilitate such services. I urge the HSE to consider locating the clinic on the Navan Hospital campus,” he said.

The HSE was contacted for comment.