Rise in use of local alcohol and drug addiction support service

The number of people availing of drug and alcohol addiction support in Westmeath is on the rise, according to Merchants Quay Ireland (MQI), the national charity that supports people affected by homelessness and addiction.

During 2025, MQI said its midlands service, which covers Westmeath, Offaly, Laois and Longford, supported 811 people with 6,783 interventions across all programmes (drug and alcohol support, family support and rehabilitation support).

This was an increase of 33.8 per cent on the total number of people supported during 2024 (606 people).

In Westmeath, the service confirmed that it supported 198 people in 2025 - an increase of 39.4 per cent on the number of people supported in the county during 2024 (142 people).

Geoff Corcoran, Head of Operations and Delivery at MQI, said: “The service is experiencing an increase in demand across all our services and Westmeath is no exception.

“While people are experiencing issues around drug use, both personally and within families, we are seeing that people are more willing to reach out and ask for help which is very positive.

“We provide a range of services in the midlands, funded by the HSE and the Midlands Regional Drug and Alcohol Task Force, that includes drug and alcohol support, family support and rehabilitation support for people in recovery,” he said.

“Each county has a dedicated drug and alcohol worker that supports individuals experiencing problems related to drug and/or alcohol misuse with workers providing a wide range of interventions delivered through evidence-based best practice that can include outreach, harm reduction, and education.”

Mr Corcoran explained that Merchants Quay ireland’s family support service helps individuals impacted by familial or significant others drug or alcohol use including support groups.

He added that one of the most successful ways of doing so is by offering a day programme, in Tullamore, that includes support for individuals to access further education or employment.

MQI also offers SMART recovery meetings in Offaly and Longford, which will soon be rolled out in Westmeath and Laois, he said