Social campaigner Fr. Peter McVerry speaking at BYAP's conference on substance misuse.
As part of the programme of events marking BYAP’s 30th anniversary, a national conference on substance misuse was held on Wednesday, 23rd March, in Dublin Castle from 9am to 3.30pm.
‘Seen but not Heard? – 30 Years of Communities Responding to Drugs’
The conference explored how communities throughout Ireland have responded to addiction over the past 30 years, and looked at current and future challenges. In particular, the event will focus on intergenerational substance use; policy responses to addiction over three decades; and the role the media plays in influencing public perceptions of substance misuse and related issues.
The programme for ‘Seen but not Heard? – 30 Years of Communities Responding to Drugs’ included a keynote address from John Lonergan, former Governor of Mountjoy Prison. Contributions were also made by social campaigner Fr. Peter McVerry; Professor Joe Barry, Head of the Department of Public Health and Primary Care at Trinity College Dublin; Dr. Mary Ellen McCann, Vice-Chairperson of the National Advisory Committee on Drugs; Ger Colleran, Editor of the Irish Daily Star; Carl O’Brien, Chief News Reporter with The Irish Times; and Una Mullally, journalist and commentator.
Sunniva Finlay, Manager of Ballyfermot STAR; John Lonergan, former Governor of Mountjoy; and Peter Cassells, conference Chair, pictured at BYAP's conference on substance misuse.
The full conference programme is available here. A report on the conference will be available shortly.