Pubdate: Sat, 29 Apr 2000
Source: Irish Examiner (Ireland)
Copyright: Examiner Publications Ltd, 2000
Contact:  http://www.examiner.ie/
Author: Niall Murray

YOUNG STREET CHILDREN AT RISK OF BECOMING DRUG ADDICTS, EXPERTS WARN

CHILDREN as young as 12 years of age are sleeping rough on streets and are 
in danger of becoming drug addicts, experts warned yesterday.

An initiative to discourage young people sleeping rough from becoming 
involved in drug abuse received high praise from President Mary McAleese 
yesterday.

The Cork Simon Community Youth Homeless Drug Prevention was established 
late last year to provide early intervention through intensive outreach.

Almost one fifth of the 1,094 people using Cork Simon Community's emergency 
shelter last year were under the age of 25.

"Young people, some as young as 12 and 13, are sleeping rough in the city, 
but where is there to send a young person who comes to the shelter at 3am, 
tired and scared?

"To date this problem has not been recognised and the response has not been 
adequate, but we hope this initiative will make a real difference," said 
project co ordinator, James Boyd.

President McAleese said the project was another example of how Simon was 
responding to the ever changing face of homelessness in Ireland, when she 
officially launched it yesterday.

"A very real test of what type of society we want to hand on to our 
children lies in the decisions we make now to tackle problems such as 
poverty, homelessness and the despair of drug addiction. This generation 
has the resource, the insight and the power to eliminate inequality and 
exclusion," she said.

"This project offers hope that, through early intervention, an alternative 
life can be provided for young people, before the cycle of homelessness and 
addiction takes hold."
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