A notice of motion, tabled by ABC councillor, Clare McConville-Walker, and calling for a robust strategy to be implemented to help prevent drug and alcohol-related deaths, was unanimously endorsed at last Tuesday’s (August 27) monthly meeting of the local authority.
Poignantly, the Sinn Féin representative had invited along a lady whose son, Seán Boyle – from Dromintee, who had a history of drug abuse and suffered from mental health issues, very tragically died in 2020, aged just 24.
Introducing her notice of motion, Cllr McConville-Walker told her council colleagues: “I believe that across this chamber we’ll all be in agreement that this is both a necessary and worthwhile motion.
“This motion reflects the conversation that’s been had in many homes, workplaces, Government institutions, and across our health services.
“It’s a conversation on a topic that is very concerning, that causes heartbreak and hardship for so many across our communities.
“This evening I bring you this motion with a personal story, a lived experience. It’s not my story but by a mother who joins us here this evening, Sinead, who’s up there in the corner.
“You’re very welcome to our chamber this evening and I thank you for the honour of being able to tell your story, and to be able to tell Seán’s story.
“Sinead’s oldest son Seán, a lad with everything to give and a life to live. A lad with a smile on his face and a caring, lovely nature, sadly lost his life in June 2020, aged just 24.
“Seán, like so many of our young people, fell into a circle of drugs. One which he and his mommy fought so hard to get out of over the years.
“There was nothing they didn’t try, nothing that they wouldn’t have been willing to try.
“Seán wanted his life back, he wanted people to listen to him and repeatedly told his mommy ‘They’re not listening’.
“Seán’s story highlights the vicious cycle of drugs and mental health issues. Mental health issues that eventually led Seán to taking his own life.
“Seán, we are listening, your mum, with her strength and determination to improve things for others who find themselves in the same situation, are telling your story and asking for change. Seán Boyle, this motion is for you.”
The Portadown representative went on to read her motion, worded as follows: “This council notes with grave concern the 2024 report from NISRA on drug-related and drug-misuse deaths, which found a significant increase in the number of deaths attributed to drugs and alcohol.
“This council further notes the intrinsic connection between isolation, social deprivation, poverty, addiction, and mental health issues.
“This council acknowledges with concern the NISRA figures that show drug-related deaths are highest among 25 to 34-year-olds.
“This council calls on the Minister for Health, in co-operation with the Executive Ministerial Committee for Public Health, to urgently implement the provisions aimed at harm prevention, harm reduction, and tackling addiction within the Substance Use Strategy 2021-31, including plans to develop a residential rehabilitation service in a regionally strategic location; and further calls on the Executive to commit to providing appropriate subsequent resources in the 2024-25 Budget for the Department of Health.”
Commenting on the rationale behind her notice of motion, the SF councillor continued: “I know that this will resonate with everyone in this chamber. We don’t have to look too far in our own communities to see that drug abuse and mental health issues are causing serious difficulties for many individuals and their families.
“I implore you all to embrace this motion, to support it, and to join in the campaign to see our drug rehabilitation services developed here in the North.”
Councillor Mary O’Dowd (Sinn Féin, Lurgan DEA), supported the notice of motion wholeheartedly: “I would like to second councillor McConville-Walker’s motion.
“First I would like to thank Sinead for attending tonight. I’m sure it’s not easy at all to have to listen to this. We are listening to you. This motion [is] in your son Seán’s memory.
“Tonight I would like to say to all those struggling, particularly those within the age bracket of 25 to 34 who are most impacted, and in particular men, we will do what we can to ensure [there is] support for you.
“But please, if you need help with anything, reach out to any of us. Thank you for attending this meeting this evening, Sinead. We are here to help you and we will do what we can for you.”
Alderman Gareth Wilson (DUP, Cusher DEA) also agreed with the sentiment of the motion, but felt that alcohol abuse should have been given equal emphasis within it: “Thank you Sinead for coming this evening. I know it’s not an easy thing to have to come and listen to what has been said.
“No one can fail to be moved by by that account, and we sympathise with you.
“I would support the motion on what it contains, and I would also widen it.
“I know it does mention alcohol and I know that with Sinead here tonight, I fully respect the fact that it is focusing on drugs and the impact that has, but just even in our conversations with the Department of Health we could bring in the alcohol issue as well.
“I did a wee bit of research going back to the start of the year and received a response from the Health Minister.
“There’s been 12,000 admissions roughly per year due to alcohol-related issues.
“At the weekend A&E is always a huge issue. On weekend periods, eight in 10 visits can be alcohol-related problems, and the cost to the Health Service in a year is estimated to be around £250m, and that isn’t considering the issue of drugs.
“So we can see where resources are going in terms of just treating people in a very immediate manner when they visit A&E.
“The Health Minister considered [the wider cost] across departments. This is only for alcohol [and it’s] £900m a year.
“And then we consider the very sad statistic in terms of deaths. In 20 years, from 2002 to 2022, it went up from 194 to 356 deaths due to alcohol, and that isn’t focusing on the equally important issue of drugs.
“So all I really want to do in my commentary is totally recognise that very real issue of addiction to both drugs and alcohol, and maybe in our discussions we can just make sure both issues are raised with similar strength.
“Again, really big thanks to Sinead for coming this evening, and definitely as a council I think there’s more we could probably be doing in terms of awareness around both issues.
“I’m very happy to put my weight behind any of those efforts.”
Ald Wilson indicated that he was happy for his comments to be simply noted, and for the motion to remain as it was.
Councillor Kate Evans (UUP, Craigavon DEA) was pleased to note that the notice of motion called for increased funding for the Department of Health: “I just want to thank Cllr Clare McConville-Walker for bringing this to the floor tonight, and for sharing Seán’s story. and for Sinead being here tonight as we discuss this.
“The Ulster Unionist Party are very happy to support this motion, and it is vital that the Executive commit to providing appropriate resources in the 2024/25 budget for the Department of Health, and I thank [the proposers] for putting that within the motion.”
Councillor Jessica Johnston (Alliance, Lagan River DEA) called for the full implementation of the Substance Abuse Strategy: “Thank you to the proposers of this motion for bringing it forward.
“I am aware of Seán’s story, so I thank his mom Sinead for the work she is doing to raise awareness, it hasn’t gone unnoticed.
“The NISRA figures are incredibly shocking, particularly in that 25-to-34 age category.
“We must not forget that behind those figures, there are family and friends that have been left devastated and frustrated that adequate and person-centred support was not available in a timely and appropriate manner.
“We firmly believe that the drugs problems we are seeing across Northern Ireland must be tackled through a public health response, and the issue of drug addiction and associated mental health problems is one we must recognise as needing a compassionate and proactive approach, and to build on the good work of the Public Health Agency and others to continue to drive these figures down.
“As others have said, we should do everything that we can to tackle the harm around substance abuse, including the plans for residential rehabilitation service, Executive departments working together to facilitate early intervention, and the Department of Health implementing the 57 actions outlined in the Substance Abuse Strategy.”
Councillorr Thomas O’Hanlon (SDLP, Armagh DEA) thanked the grieving mother in attendance at the meeting for allowing her son’s story to be told in such poignant fashion: “Thank you Cllr McConville-Walker for bringing the notice of motion this evening, and thanks to Sinead for taking the step to come in and join us.
“I think it’s important that we just don’t let Seán be a statistic, that his story has been heard, and there’s nobody who can tell a story like a mommy, and we’ve seen that in this chamber on many issues over the years.
“It’s a a story that’s replicated in many of our communities, and if we think that there’s a sports club, a social club, a bar, a restaurant – be it in the the wilderness of the borough or in the city centre – where this isn’t an issue, I think we’re kidding ourselves.
“So I think it’s important that we use this platform tonight to raise the issue, but also to do what we can to support Sinead in telling Seán’s story, now and in the years ahead, because if by telling that story she can prevent one more family going through the same experience that she has gone through, it’s been a worthwhile experience, so thank you Sinead for joining us this evening.
“I’m happy with the sentiments of the motion and the call on the Executive to provide the appropriate funding.”
Alderman Paul Berry (Independent, Cusher DEA) remarked that drug abuse now affected all sections of society, regardless of social status: “I also welcome this motion here this evening. I think it’s more personal and more fitting because Sinead is in the chamber and it brings a face to what is a very sad and tragic situation across the country, but also more locally, sadly.
“As Cllr O’Hanlon has said, it’s not about statistics. When we see Sinead here tonight, and think of the tragic loss of her son Seán, obviously it brings it into real perspective.
“While we call on the Minister of Health to do this, it is up to us, in memory of Seán and to support Sinead, to ensure that we actually follow up on it, and we actually continue to fight for the needs of those who have problems with addiction and drugs and alcohol.
“It can come to any home, many of us have children and we don’t know what’s around the corner.
“When you hear of the stories out in the community, how easy it is to get drugs now, even in the best of schools.
“It doesn’t matter if you’re reared with a silver spoon in your mouth or not, that can come to your door, and I think it’s very important that we as a council do send that message and call upon the Minister of Health and the Department to do what we believe is necessary in memory of Seán, and many others who have tragically lost their lives.
“There are young people out there who are suffering with mental health issues and are finding it very hard to get on top of it.
“I think it’s important that we continue to follow up on that because sadly this isn’t going to go away, and sadly this is going to be on the increase, and it’s up to all of us as citizens to do our very best, because none of us knows what’s around the corner.”
Cllr McConville-Walker thanked elected representatives from right across the chamber for being so supportive of her notice of motion: “A genuine heartfelt thank you to everybody in this chamber for supporting this.
“I’m speaking on behalf of Sinead now. I’m looking at her right now, and I know that this means the world to her.
“To have Seán’s name mentioned in this chamber is absolutely amazing.
“I’ve been working with Sinead for a while now. I’m quite blessed to call her a friend at this stage and I know that she’s going to continue this fight.
“So to have people’s support and to hear Seán’s story told, and to hear people listen to it and support it, I am extremely grateful.”
Lord Mayor, Councillor Sarah Duffy concluded the debate by thanking Seán’s mother: “Sinead, thank you so much for being here tonight and being so brave, you’ve done your Seán really proud.”
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