imagine Eddie Eddie was nine years old when he first smoked heroin at the age
when he first smoked heroin at the age
when he first smoked heroin at the age of sixteen he was regularly injecting
of sixteen he was regularly injecting
of sixteen he was regularly injecting heroin but agent 19
heroin but agent 19
heroin but agent 19 Eddie was out of his home he was
Eddie was out of his home he was
Eddie was out of his home he was sleeping on the streets he was in and
sleeping on the streets he was in and
sleeping on the streets he was in and out of prison and he was sleeping in
out of prison and he was sleeping in
out of prison and he was sleeping in homeless hostels because of this Eddie
homeless hostels because of this Eddie
homeless hostels because of this Eddie needed to inject himself wherever he
needed to inject himself wherever he
needed to inject himself wherever he could discreetly hide himself away so he
could discreetly hide himself away so he
could discreetly hide himself away so he would inject himself in parks in public
would inject himself in parks in public
would inject himself in parks in public laneways in public toilets in prison
laneways in public toilets in prison
laneways in public toilets in prison cells in homeless hostels and because of
cells in homeless hostels and because of
cells in homeless hostels and because of this he’s health deteriorated he he
this he’s health deteriorated he he
this he’s health deteriorated he he became he contracted HIV he contracted
became he contracted HIV he contracted
became he contracted HIV he contracted hepatitis C he regularly had very
hepatitis C he regularly had very
hepatitis C he regularly had very painful abscesses and he had other
painful abscesses and he had other
painful abscesses and he had other complex health needs
due to his injecting practices by the
due to his injecting practices by the age of 25 very sadly Eddie passed away
age of 25 very sadly Eddie passed away
age of 25 very sadly Eddie passed away Eddie had gone to a stairwell in a
Eddie had gone to a stairwell in a
Eddie had gone to a stairwell in a residential apartment block and he had
residential apartment block and he had
residential apartment block and he had gone to the bottom of the stairwell to
gone to the bottom of the stairwell to
gone to the bottom of the stairwell to hide himself away and inject himself it
hide himself away and inject himself it
hide himself away and inject himself it was really he injected himself for the
was really he injected himself for the
was really he injected himself for the last time he died there hunched forward
last time he died there hunched forward
last time he died there hunched forward at the bottom of the stairs and he was
at the bottom of the stairs and he was
at the bottom of the stairs and he was there for three days until somebody
there for three days until somebody
there for three days until somebody found him there a resident of the block
found him there a resident of the block
found him there a resident of the block finally found him down there my name is
finally found him down there my name is
finally found him down there my name is Toni Duffin I am the CEO of the analyst
Toni Duffin I am the CEO of the analyst
Toni Duffin I am the CEO of the analyst drug project a small NGO based in Dublin
drug project a small NGO based in Dublin
drug project a small NGO based in Dublin my colleagues and I have well we’ve
my colleagues and I have well we’ve
my colleagues and I have well we’ve known too many tragic cases like Eddie’s
known too many tragic cases like Eddie’s
known too many tragic cases like Eddie’s and we’ve been to too many funerals and
and we’ve been to too many funerals and
and we’ve been to too many funerals and we want to do more about this but C
we want to do more about this but C
we want to do more about this but C Street based injecting
Street based injecting
Street based injecting kurz across island in places like Cork
kurz across island in places like Cork
kurz across island in places like Cork City and Limerick City and Galway City
City and Limerick City and Galway City
City and Limerick City and Galway City in other areas but if we know that it’s
in other areas but if we know that it’s
in other areas but if we know that it’s at its worst in our capital Dublin in
at its worst in our capital Dublin in
at its worst in our capital Dublin in Dublin city centre and we know for
Dublin city centre and we know for
Dublin city centre and we know for example that we estimate that they’re
example that we estimate that they’re
example that we estimate that they’re around 400 people who inject themselves
around 400 people who inject themselves
around 400 people who inject themselves in the public domain in any given month
in the public domain in any given month
in the public domain in any given month and they would do that on multiple
and they would do that on multiple
and they would do that on multiple multiple times and we also know that
multiple times and we also know that
multiple times and we also know that during 2012 to 2014 25 people who inject
during 2012 to 2014 25 people who inject
during 2012 to 2014 25 people who inject drugs in the public domain died in
drugs in the public domain died in
drugs in the public domain died in Dublin city centre a further 18 people
Dublin city centre a further 18 people
Dublin city centre a further 18 people died in homeless hostels in the same
died in homeless hostels in the same
died in homeless hostels in the same period people who inject drugs so we
period people who inject drugs so we
period people who inject drugs so we know that it’s a it’s a very difficult
know that it’s a it’s a very difficult
know that it’s a it’s a very difficult situation we wanted to do more and on
situation we wanted to do more and on
situation we wanted to do more and on 20th of January 2012 we began to lobby
20th of January 2012 we began to lobby
20th of January 2012 we began to lobby for a change in the law to allow for the
for a change in the law to allow for the
for a change in the law to allow for the existence of supervised injection
existence of supervised injection
existence of supervised injection facilities and we succeeded on the 16th
facilities and we succeeded on the 16th
facilities and we succeeded on the 16th of May 2017 the president Michael D
of May 2017 the president Michael D
of May 2017 the president Michael D Higgins signed into law the misuse of
Higgins signed into law the misuse of
Higgins signed into law the misuse of drugs supervised injection facilities
drugs supervised injection facilities
drugs supervised injection facilities bill 2017 and I guess when you think
bill 2017 and I guess when you think
bill 2017 and I guess when you think about it six years ago nobody was
about it six years ago nobody was
about it six years ago nobody was talking about supervised injection
talking about supervised injection
talking about supervised injection facilities but after five years three
facilities but after five years three
facilities but after five years three months and 27 days the only drug project
months and 27 days the only drug project
months and 27 days the only drug project had successfully lobbied for a change in
had successfully lobbied for a change in
had successfully lobbied for a change in the law to allow for their existence I
the law to allow for their existence I
the law to allow for their existence I want to share with you four strategies
want to share with you four strategies
want to share with you four strategies that worked for us in terms of lobbying
that worked for us in terms of lobbying
that worked for us in terms of lobbying successfully lobbying for that change in
successfully lobbying for that change in
successfully lobbying for that change in the law and firstly you need to know
the law and firstly you need to know
the law and firstly you need to know your case you need to know the arguments
your case you need to know the arguments
your case you need to know the arguments for and against supervised injection
for and against supervised injection
for and against supervised injection facilities that’s what we needed to know
facilities that’s what we needed to know
facilities that’s what we needed to know we need to know that because we wanted
we need to know that because we wanted
we need to know that because we wanted to be able to bring people along with us
to be able to bring people along with us
to be able to bring people along with us and we also needed to be able to respond
and we also needed to be able to respond
and we also needed to be able to respond to any counter-argument robustly and so
to any counter-argument robustly and so
to any counter-argument robustly and so we got together the information that we
we got together the information that we
we got together the information that we needed to give you an example when we
needed to give you an example when we
needed to give you an example when we when we set out to do a statement of
when we set out to do a statement of
when we set out to do a statement of intent as it were we launched a
intent as it were we launched a
intent as it were we launched a strategic plan in there we had a goal
strategic plan in there we had a goal
strategic plan in there we had a goal which was which was to gather
which was which was to gather
which was which was to gather stakeholder support lobby for the change
stakeholder support lobby for the change
stakeholder support lobby for the change in the law and then to to deliver a
in the law and then to to deliver a
in the law and then to to deliver a supervised injection facility and we did
supervised injection facility and we did
supervised injection facility and we did that we put that out in the public
that we put that out in the public
that we put that out in the public domain on the 20th of January 2012 but
domain on the 20th of January 2012 but
domain on the 20th of January 2012 but it was contentious and one of one of the
it was contentious and one of one of the
it was contentious and one of one of the people who were due to get up on the
people who were due to get up on the
people who were due to get up on the stage with me that day to launch the
stage with me that day to launch the
stage with me that day to launch the strategic plan we couldn’t bring
strategic plan we couldn’t bring
strategic plan we couldn’t bring themselves to come on the stage because
themselves to come on the stage because
themselves to come on the stage because they’re the fear of the backlash that
they’re the fear of the backlash that
they’re the fear of the backlash that they perceived would come afterwards
they perceived would come afterwards
they perceived would come afterwards that was instructive to me I I
that was instructive to me I I
that was instructive to me I I understood that was helpful
understood that was helpful
understood that was helpful it made me understand that we were going
it made me understand that we were going
it made me understand that we were going to need the evidence we were going to
to need the evidence we were going to
to need the evidence we were going to need to be able to explain ourselves as
need to be able to explain ourselves as
need to be able to explain ourselves as best we could to bring people along with
best we could to bring people along with
best we could to bring people along with us so that’s what we did we we gathered
us so that’s what we did we we gathered
us so that’s what we did we we gathered the information from across the from
the information from across the from
the information from across the from across the globe and the evidence from
across the globe and the evidence from
across the globe and the evidence from across the globe and we we put out a
across the globe and we we put out a
across the globe and we we put out a position paper we put out a position
position paper we put out a position
position paper we put out a position paper explaining what we were trying to
paper explaining what we were trying to
paper explaining what we were trying to do and the evidence for it and we
do and the evidence for it and we
do and the evidence for it and we instructed a barrister who worked for
instructed a barrister who worked for
instructed a barrister who worked for free and to help us and produced a legal
free and to help us and produced a legal
free and to help us and produced a legal opinion and I’ll come back to the legal
opinion and I’ll come back to the legal
opinion and I’ll come back to the legal opinion in the moment so we gathered so
opinion in the moment so we gathered so
opinion in the moment so we gathered so we need we needed to know our case and
we need we needed to know our case and
we need we needed to know our case and we did that secondly we needed to know
we did that secondly we needed to know
we did that secondly we needed to know our stakeholders not to not just who
our stakeholders not to not just who
our stakeholders not to not just who they are
they are
they are but what their needs were and we needed
but what their needs were and we needed
but what their needs were and we needed to speak to their self-interest and
to speak to their self-interest and
to speak to their self-interest and stakeholders in this regard were health
stakeholders in this regard were health
stakeholders in this regard were health and policing people who inject drugs
and policing people who inject drugs
and policing people who inject drugs businesses local community etc so to
businesses local community etc so to
businesses local community etc so to give you example from looking at the
give you example from looking at the
give you example from looking at the evidence we we were aware that that when
evidence we we were aware that that when
evidence we we were aware that that when you open up a supervised injection
you open up a supervised injection
you open up a supervised injection facility in an area where we’re street
facility in an area where we’re street
facility in an area where we’re street based injecting is is a problem a
based injecting is is a problem a
based injecting is is a problem a significant problem when
significant problem when
significant problem when you open one of these services you
you open one of these services you
you open one of these services you improve the amenity of the area that’s a
improve the amenity of the area that’s a
improve the amenity of the area that’s a very important message for certain
very important message for certain
very important message for certain stakeholders businesses in the city
stakeholders businesses in the city
stakeholders businesses in the city center people who live in the city
center people who live in the city
center people who live in the city center
center
center so people who visit the city center
so people who visit the city center
so people who visit the city center anybody but but you know particularly to
anybody but but you know particularly to
anybody but but you know particularly to speak to the stakeholders interest we
speak to the stakeholders interest we
speak to the stakeholders interest we made sure that that that message was
made sure that that that message was
made sure that that that message was going out there and we did that which
going out there and we did that which
going out there and we did that which brings me on to messaging the third
brings me on to messaging the third
brings me on to messaging the third thing you need to be needed to do was
thing you need to be needed to do was
thing you need to be needed to do was engage with the media and we needed a
engage with the media and we needed a
engage with the media and we needed a great to engage with the media
great to engage with the media
great to engage with the media significantly and widely consistently
significantly and widely consistently
significantly and widely consistently and I met with a friend of mine who
and I met with a friend of mine who
and I met with a friend of mine who again gave his time for free because
again gave his time for free because
again gave his time for free because we’re a charity he gave his time for
we’re a charity he gave his time for
we’re a charity he gave his time for free and he told me he said look what
free and he told me he said look what
free and he told me he said look what you’re trying to achieve you’re trying
you’re trying to achieve you’re trying
you’re trying to achieve you’re trying to change the law to allow people to
to change the law to allow people to
to change the law to allow people to inject themselves in a safe space with
inject themselves in a safe space with
inject themselves in a safe space with with unknown or illicit drugs so that’s
with unknown or illicit drugs so that’s
with unknown or illicit drugs so that’s newsworthy and you can make your own
newsworthy and you can make your own
newsworthy and you can make your own news now to me now it seems so obvious
news now to me now it seems so obvious
news now to me now it seems so obvious but on that day when he told me that it
but on that day when he told me that it
but on that day when he told me that it was a light bulb moment it was an aha
was a light bulb moment it was an aha
was a light bulb moment it was an aha moment and I took that ball and I ran
moment and I took that ball and I ran
moment and I took that ball and I ran with it and if you simply go online and
with it and if you simply go online and
with it and if you simply go online and do a search for an illicit drug project
do a search for an illicit drug project
do a search for an illicit drug project you will see that the level of media
you will see that the level of media
you will see that the level of media engagement that we have over the last
engagement that we have over the last
engagement that we have over the last four years so that’s engaged with the
four years so that’s engaged with the
four years so that’s engaged with the media and then fourthly you need to
media and then fourthly you need to
media and then fourthly you need to reach out for help okay what we were
reach out for help okay what we were
reach out for help okay what we were doing was was never been done before and
doing was was never been done before and
doing was was never been done before and we were gonna meet hurdles and to get
we were gonna meet hurdles and to get
we were gonna meet hurdles and to get over those hurdles we were going to have
over those hurdles we were going to have
over those hurdles we were going to have to be well determined we were gonna have
to be well determined we were gonna have
to be well determined we were gonna have to be problem solvers and we were going
to be problem solvers and we were going
to be problem solvers and we were going to need help to give you an example of
to need help to give you an example of
to need help to give you an example of that we we had realized that because of
that we we had realized that because of
that we we had realized that because of the the legal opinion that I mentioned a
the the legal opinion that I mentioned a
the the legal opinion that I mentioned a moment ago that we would need we would
moment ago that we would need we would
moment ago that we would need we would need to change the law we also had come
need to change the law we also had come
need to change the law we also had come to the conclusion that we needed to do a
to the conclusion that we needed to do a
to the conclusion that we needed to do a lot of the heavy lifting if we wanted to
lot of the heavy lifting if we wanted to
lot of the heavy lifting if we wanted to see this be successful and what I mean
see this be successful and what I mean
see this be successful and what I mean by that is we wanted to draft the
by that is we wanted to draft the
by that is we wanted to draft the legislation but we didn’t have the
legislation but we didn’t have the
legislation but we didn’t have the capacity in-house
capacity in-house
capacity in-house and we didn’t have the expertise
and we didn’t have the expertise
and we didn’t have the expertise in-house to draft legislation so we
in-house to draft legislation so we
in-house to draft legislation so we reached out and we reached out to a
reached out and we reached out to a
reached out and we reached out to a group called the voluntary assistance
group called the voluntary assistance
group called the voluntary assistance scheme of the Bar Council of Ireland and
scheme of the Bar Council of Ireland and
scheme of the Bar Council of Ireland and we went to them and we said would they
we went to them and we said would they
we went to them and we said would they help us and they said they would and
help us and they said they would and
help us and they said they would and they said about drafting legislation
they said about drafting legislation
they said about drafting legislation that that would allow for the existence
that that would allow for the existence
that that would allow for the existence of supervised injection facilities if
of supervised injection facilities if
of supervised injection facilities if enacted so they worked for free again
enacted so they worked for free again
enacted so they worked for free again for 12 months in their own time
for 12 months in their own time
for 12 months in their own time a group of barristers who had
a group of barristers who had
a group of barristers who had established a small group to have
established a small group to have
established a small group to have drafted legislation and then they handed
drafted legislation and then they handed
drafted legislation and then they handed it over to us then I had another hurdle
it over to us then I had another hurdle
it over to us then I had another hurdle right we had led draft legislation
right we had led draft legislation
right we had led draft legislation robust draft legislation but we had to
robust draft legislation but we had to
robust draft legislation but we had to get it into Parliament he’d never been
get it into Parliament he’d never been
get it into Parliament he’d never been done before so we reached out again that
done before so we reached out again that
done before so we reached out again that we reached out to the then Minister of
we reached out to the then Minister of
we reached out to the then Minister of State a honor ridden who was responsible
State a honor ridden who was responsible
State a honor ridden who was responsible for the National Drug Strategy and we
for the National Drug Strategy and we
for the National Drug Strategy and we asked him for his help and he said he
asked him for his help and he said he
asked him for his help and he said he would help us and he began the
would help us and he began the
would help us and he began the legislative drafting process and he was
legislative drafting process and he was
legislative drafting process and he was our first political champion and then
our first political champion and then
our first political champion and then our second political champion was his
our second political champion was his
our second political champion was his successor Minister of State Katherine
successor Minister of State Katherine
successor Minister of State Katherine Byrne TD who who took up the baton from
Byrne TD who who took up the baton from
Byrne TD who who took up the baton from Minister ridden and and got it through
Minister ridden and and got it through
Minister ridden and and got it through Island’s parliamentary processes to the
Island’s parliamentary processes to the
Island’s parliamentary processes to the point where her president Michael D
point where her president Michael D
point where her president Michael D Higgins enacted the legislation on the
Higgins enacted the legislation on the
Higgins enacted the legislation on the 17th of May a 16th of May 2017 so just
17th of May a 16th of May 2017 so just
17th of May a 16th of May 2017 so just to summarize it all up in our experience
to summarize it all up in our experience
to summarize it all up in our experience and upon reflection the strategies that
and upon reflection the strategies that
and upon reflection the strategies that that work for us were to know your case
that work for us were to know your case
that work for us were to know your case both for and against the proposed change
both for and against the proposed change
both for and against the proposed change you want to make know your stakeholders
you want to make know your stakeholders
you want to make know your stakeholders not just who they are but what are their
not just who they are but what are their
not just who they are but what are their needs and speak to their self-interest
needs and speak to their self-interest
needs and speak to their self-interest engage with the media engage widely and
engage with the media engage widely and
engage with the media engage widely and regularly and finally reach out for help
regularly and finally reach out for help
regularly and finally reach out for help because if you’re trying to do something
because if you’re trying to do something
because if you’re trying to do something that’s never been done before you’re
that’s never been done before you’re
that’s never been done before you’re definitely going to need that help and
definitely going to need that help and
definitely going to need that help and throughout it all do what you can and
throughout it all do what you can and
throughout it all do what you can and work hard to bring people along with you
work hard to bring people along with you
work hard to bring people along with you thank you
”
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