Statement from President Higgins following a meeting with Mr. Tony Duffin, Ana Liffey Drug Project.
Date: Wed 26th May, 2021 | 14:55
President Higgins today welcomed Ana Liffey Drug Project CEO, Mr. Tony Duffin, to Áras an Uachtaráin.
President Higgins, as Patron of the Ana Liffey Drug Project, took the opportunity to pay tribute to the remarkable response by front line service providers to mitigate the threat posed by Covid-19 to homeless and the at-risk drug using populations.
Speaking after the meeting, the President said:
“There is no doubt that many lives have been saved by the successful, coordinated response by groups such as Ana Liffey, working in partnership with the HSE, Gardaí, local government and relevant NGOs. As a result of this response and the leadership shown, Ireland has outperformed even best case scenarios for Covid-19 infection rates and mortality. The successes so far of the vaccination roll out to these at risk groups is also to be welcomed.”
During a lengthy meeting reviewing the work of the Project after Covid, the President also welcomed the changes in the delivery of harm reduction measures in response to the threat posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, and expressed his hope that the measures taken in response to the pandemic could be regarded as pilot schemes and provide a basis for improved services across the board.