This article is from page 2 of the 2005-11-29 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 2 JPG
BUSHY Park treatment centre in Ennis has confirmed that there has been a 40% increase 1n 18 to 25 year olds presenting for treatment in the past year.
“The challenge for us two years ago or eighteen months ago was to actually fill capacity at Bushy Park, but in the last year, we are at full capacity and have had an extensive waiting list,” said the cen- tre’s Director, Margaret Nash.
In response to the growing numbers presenting themselves for the intensive four-week long treatment programme, Ms Nash confirmed that a planning ap- plication is to be lodged early in the New Year by Bushy Park that will increase the centre’s capacity by 40%.
The €2 million plan is to also include sport and recreation facilities for the residents, along with additional meeting
rooms.
The planned expansion will increase the centre’s current residential capacity from 13 to 18 in 2007.
Ms Nash said that those aged 18 to 25 presenting for treatment came from a va- riety of social backgrounds.
“Some of them are going to college, have jobs, doing apprenticeships; they come from all social classes. It was in- evitably going to happen and is part of the economic boom, as drink is still rela- tively cheap and they are the age-group with the most disposable income.
“There 1s a fixation in Ireland, where parents are very happy saying ‘my child drinks, but he doesn’t do drugs’, but al- cohol is still the most destructive of oa bream
Ms Nash confirmed that the numbers presenting with alcohol addiction alone have dropped in recent years.
‘There are less and less people present- ing with straight alcohol addiction and that is a trend that is going to continue where you have more and more present- ing with cross-addictions.
‘For example, you would have a lot of women cross-addicted to alcohol and prescription drugs and the numbers pre- senting with straight alcohol addiction is at 60%.”
Ms Nash said that cocaine is the most popular illicit drug among people com- ing for treatment. Cannabis is also popu- lar, while both Ecstasy, which is being bought for €4, and heroin are on the in- crease.
More women are also presenting for treatment, according to Ms Nash.
“Traditionally, the gender breakdown was /0-30% in favour of men, now it is more 60-40% and Bushy Park has been heading that way in the last six months.