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Research
Research Publications
Merchants Quay Ireland is committed to increasing knowledge and awareness of drug use, homelessness and related issues. To this end a number of research and other reports have been produced which may be of interest to students, researchers, policy makers and the general public.
They can be downloaded here free of charge or purchased directly from Merchants Quay Ireland. For further information about purchasing reports please contact info@mqi.ie.
Drug Use Among the Homeless Population in Ireland.
National Advisory Committee on Drugs
Lawless, M and Corr, C (2005)
Merchants Quay Ireland carried out Ireland's first major study on drug use and homelessness. This study assessed the nature, extent and context of drug use among people who are homeless in Ireland, focusing on four cities - Dublin, Cork, Galway and Limerick. The report revealed that drug use and homelessness are clearly linked both complicating and aggravating each other. The report was prepared for the National Advisory Committee on Drugs.
Drug Use among New Communities in Ireland
An Exploratory Study
National Advisory Committee on Drugs/Merchants Quay Ireland
Corr, C (2004)
This research, funded by an award from the National Advisory Committee on Drugs was conducted by Merchants Quay Ireland to develop an in-depth understanding of problemactic drug use among new communities in Ireland. The report explores patterns of drug use, factors which influence drug use among new communities, the role of ethnicity and social exclusion in drug use, and barriers experienced by drug users in accessing drug services. The research was funded by the National Advisory Committee on Drugs.
Pieces of the Jigsaw
Six reports addressing Homelessness and Drug Use in Ireland
Merchants Quay Ireland
Lawless, M, Corr, C & G. Cox (2004)
This book brings together a number of research reports undertaken by Merchants Quay Ireland during the period of 2000 to 2002. It provides reviews of a number of distinct areas such as methadone maintenance, women's health, food service provision, information services, outreach programmes and anti-social behaviour issues.
Report One:
Private Lives - Public Issues: An investigation into the Health Status of Female Drug Users
Report Two:
Maintaining or Enabling? An Evaluation of a Methadone Prescribing Service in Dublin City
Report Three:
Engaging the Hard-to-Reach: An Evaluation of an Outreach Service
Report Four:
Managing Urban Tensions: An Integrated Approach to Drug-Related Anti-Social Behaviour in Dublin
Report Five:
A Step in the Right Direction: An Evaluation of the Failtiu Information Service (document currently unavailable)
Report Six:
Food for Thought: A Review of the Failtiu Food Service
HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C in Irish Prisons
A Call for Action
Irish Penal Reform Trust & Merchants Quay Ireland
Lines, R (2002)
Based upon the findings of Irish and international research this report outlines twenty-one recommendations towards implementing a comprehensive response to HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C in prisons.
From Residential Drug Treatment to Employment
Interim Report
Merchants Quay Project
Lawless, M. & G. Cox (1999)
Employment-INTEGRA, a human resource initiative of the E.U. was launched in 1995 to promote the integration of groups excluded, or at risk of exclusion, from the labour market. This Programme funded through the EU Integra fund responded to a gap in service provision which highlighted the difficulty of former drug users in accessing employment opportunities once they have acquired a drug free status. In addition, Programme sought to engage employers and training providers in a process of education, which will assist them in coping with issues surrounding drug use and ease the insertion of former drug users into the labour market.
From Residential Drug Treatment to Employment
Final Report
Merchants Quay Project
Lawless M. & G. Cox (2000)
The Merchant's Quay Project as a drug service provider, identified the need for a programme to help facilitate former drug users who have completed residential drug treatment, into the labour market. The needs of this client group were given priority because the lack of employment opportunities and access to secure accommodation, had been identified as factors contributing to the relapse of former drug users upon completion of a residential drug treatment. This report builds on the findings of the Interim Report above.
Making Contact
Evaluation of a Syringe Exchange Programme
Merchants Quay Project
Cox, G. & M. Lawless (2000)
A Health Promotion Unit was set up within the Merchant's Quay Project in July 1992 to provide a model for working with people who engage in both injecting and sexual risk behaviour. This model concentrates on reducing or eliminating these risks in so far as possible. In 1997, it was decided to undertake an evaluation of the Health Promotion Unit. This Report presents the findings of the evaluative research undertaken from May 1st 1997 to October 31st 1998.
Syringe Exchanges
A Public Health Response to Problem Drug Use
Irish Medical Journal Vol.93 Number 4
Cox, G., M. Lawless S. Cassin & T. Geoghegan (2000)
This paper presents the findings of the first ever Irish follow-up study to establish the effectiveness of syringe exchanges as a harm reduction strategy in the context of public health. The study was conducted in collaboration with 370 injecting drug users who attended the Merchant's Quay Project's Health Promotion Unit between May 1st 1997 and October 31st 1998.
Residential Programmes
Merchants Quay Project
Cox, G. & M. Lawless (1999)
The purpose of this Research Report was to evaluate the High Park residential facility as it is now three years in operation. In addition the research serves to inform and design the pilot phase of a second evaluation of interim (short term) outcomes (and outputs) of the programme.
Gender Differences in characteristics of Drug Users Presenting to a Dublin Syringe Exchange
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine 16(4): pp131-135 Dublin
Geoghegan, T., M. O'Shea & G. Cox (1999)
This study explores the gender difference in patterns of drug use, risk behaviour, health and well-being among 934 new attenders at a Dublin syringe.
Wherever I Lay My Hat
A Study of Out of Home Drug Users
Merchants Quay Project
Cox, G. & M. Lawless (1999)
The Merchant's Quay Project has always being acutely aware of the relationship between social deprivation and drug use. More recently it has being concerned with the increasing numbers of homeless drug users presenting at the Project. While anecdotal evidence suggests that homelessness impacts on drug use, this has been supported by research carried out within Merchant's Quay. Findings revealed not only that homelessness was a predictor of injecting risk behaviour among respondents, but also that homeless categories highly influenced risk behaviour. This piece of research is one of the first in Ireland to examine drug use and homelessness in any depth. It is not intended to illustrate the causes of homelessness among drug users, but rather it provides an exploratory analysis of individuals in such circumstances.
Training Communities to Respond
Merchants Quay Project
Cox, G. & M. Lawless (1998)
The Merchant's Quay Project devised a ten week Drugs Awareness Training Programme. The Training Programme was available to all interested community members, particularly those from areas disproportionately affected by the problem drug use. As the Merchant's Quay Project is committed to providing a high quality service to all its service users, an evaluation component was seen as an integral part of the Drugs Awareness Training Programme. By providing such training programmes, the Merchant's Quay Project has the ability to assist community groups to win some control over their lives, and to contribute positively to social change within their locality.
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