Barrymore House, Stanhope Centre has been in existence since 1977 and for more than twenty five years has helped many alcoholics and gamblers cope with their illness. For the 1st time since they opened the doors to it’s public residential alcohol treatment centre were closed this month. The June programme was cancelled and future programmes are in serious doubt too.

Barrymore House is the only residential treatment program for problem drinkers and gamblers in the entire North Eastern HSE Region. The Barrymore House residential programme is the ONLY PUBLIC ADDICTION treatment programme for ALL of Dublin, Kildare & Meath. It provides invaluable support not just to addicts but also to their spouses, family, employers and friends. Yet incredibly, despite all the Government talk about “alcohol awareness” and “mental health”, the June programme at Barrymore House had to be cancelled due to lack of Government support and funding and there is great uncertainty over future programmes.

I am supporting the campaign to get the Government to reverse their decision and to restore funding for the programme.  At my request Fianna Fail spokesperson for Health Billy Kelleher has submitted the following question to the Minister for Health:
Is the Minister aware that the Barrymore Progamme at the Stanhope Center will not go ahead as planned in June 2015 and the service provider at the Stanhope Center have been forced by lack of funding to advise participants that the unique addiction course is cancelled? Will the Minister please outline what action he will take to ensure the June 2015 course goes ahead and remaining courses for 2015 are also guaranteed?