Priests overwhelmed by scale of drug-bereaved families

A priest in Londonderry has said he and fellow clerics have been overwhelmed by the number of families bereaved through drug abuse.

It follows a BBC Spotlight investigation into the scale of the drug problem in the north west.

The mothers of two young people who died after taking extra-strength pills told the programme of their heartache.

Fr Joe Gormley, who is the priest at Holy Family Parish in Ballymagroarty, said the drug problem is getting worse.

Speaking to BBC Radio Foyle's The North West Today, Fr Gormley said that "maybe about 40 to 45% of the deaths that we attend as priests is related to drug and alcohol abuse".

"That is a huge figure, it's an epidemic," he said.

"I have been a priest in the city since 1997 and I have seen the rate of it going up and up.

"Throughout society so many people's lives are being ruined by drugs, irrespective of their socio-economic backgrounds.

"Many people are looking for quick solutions or looking for something that is going to alleviate pressure or pain.

"Young people on a night out can make just one wrong decision and that can then lead them down a road of destructive behaviour for themselves and destructive behaviour for others."

Fr Gormley said there was a real problem with addiction across society and, he believes, everyone in society must recognise this and collectively play their part in helping to tackle this.

A community worker, who lost his own son to substance abuse in 1997, also spoke out about a sense fear within communities in the north west over street drugs.

"People are very concerned and frightened about what is happening," Martin Connolly said.

"Every week there seems to be deaths connected to drugs, there seems to be a sort of cycle and it appears to be happening without challenge."

Mr Connolly said many support services out there for people struggling with addiction issues are struggling to meet demand.

"There needs to be a united front - we need to see more resources put into community groups and initiatives to help get people the support that they are in desperate need," Mr Connolly said.

"Even someone sitting down for an hour and having a conversation can help some - just listening to people can be so important."