‘Ennis is awash with drugs’ – mayor

MAYOR of Ennis Councillor Frankie Neylon has claimed that Ennis is awash with drugs and that he has personally seen things on the streets that indicate drug activity.
He also said that he has made reports to the gardaí about what he has seen.
“I’m very concerned over the extent of drug use in Ennis. I’m personally aware that Ennis is awash with drugs. I know people who have told me that they have seen drug activity in Ennis. They have seen people using needles out in the open in Ennis. I have also seen things that indicate drug activity to me on the streets of Ennis,” he said.
“My job as a councillor is to report this to gardaí, which I have done. I have also told other members of the public who have told me what they have seen in terms of drug activity to report it to the gardaí, which I believe they have done,” the councillor added.
Councillor Neylon also claimed that he has seen people clearly under the influence of drugs in Ennis.
“Through the council I am involved in dealing with drug use in Ennis through the joint policing initiative. People have told me that they’ve seen needles and other signs of drug use around the town. I’m aware of that myself but not willing to get into exactly what I’ve seen. But I’ve seen apparatus that I’d associate with drug use,” he said.
Superintendent John Scanlan said that the gardaí continue to be concerned about what they are seeing in the criminal drugs scene in Ennis.
“But Ennis is no different from any other town in the country of a similar size. Let’s be honest about this, Ennis is not the drug capital of the Mid-West,” he added.
The superintendent also pointed out that the Clare Divisional Garda Unit are putting a lot of additional resources into this whole area.
“Drug use is an issue of great public concern. Those who buy drugs are doing nothing other than supporting criminal industry, putting significant amounts of money into the hands of criminals. There is a three-tiered system when it comes to drug users. Those around town who think it’s cool to take drugs, those who are ignorant to the effects of drugs and the hardcore groups of heroin, cocaine users and drug dealers. There is a big difference between each category and they have to be dealt with differently,” he concluded.