Dublin GAA star Philly McMahon yesterday told the Citizens’ Assembly on Drugs Use how his brother died after a decade-long struggle with heroin addiction.
The player’s older brother John died in 2012 but he told the assembly in Malahide, Co Dublin, that addiction also has detrimental effects on addicts’ families. Ninety-nine randomly chosen members of the public, led by chairman Paul Reid, are examining the issue over the next six months.
Up until next October the assembly will consider the legislative, policy and operational changes Ireland could make to significantly reduce the harmful impacts of illicit drugs on society.
Read more: Controversial new Citizens' Assembly on drug use to begin today
Philly McMahon, 35, was part of a panel yesterday and told delegates that his family had only discovered the link between his brother’s serious addiction issues and his mental health issues years later. He said: “It wasn’t until John was in his late 20s, that we discovered [he] had schizophrenia.
"So for a long time, based off our education as a family, and the wider social education was based off it being incriminating to take drugs. We were educated to be ashamed, to be embarrassed and that stigmatisation was crucial in all of that education.”
He added that had they known about John’s mental problems when he was a teenager they would have treated it as a mental health issue. “And we would have definitely, I think, you know, we would have, we would have dealt with it a little bit differently”, he said.
In a recorded message, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said that the country also needs to find better ways to deal with illegal drug use. He said: “Far too many families have lost loved ones due to an overdose.
"Far too many communities have been living in fear of those who supply drugs in towns and villages across our country. So, we need to find better ways to deal with the problems arising from the use of illegal drugs.”
Chairman Paul Reid pointed out that much of the focus of the assembly will centre on illicit drugs as is set out in the terms of reference. The gathering has been criticised since it was established following a Dail Eireann resolution in February.
Much of the criticism has centred on the appointment of Mr Reid as chairman who is being paid a daily fee of €650 – just four months after he stood down from his €420,000-a-year HSE job.
The daily rate was approved according to the Department of Public Expenditure but it means Mr Reid will be paid €19,500 for his 30 days as chairman. A letter with objections from addiction experts and medical professionals about issues like transparency in the assembly was drafted last week for Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.
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