Demand for women's addiction services in Ireland rises by 55 percent

Merchant Quay Ireland (MQI) reported a 55 percent increase in demand for its dedicated women's addiction and homelessness service at Jane's Place between 2024 and 2025.

The charity opened the Dublin City Centre facility in February 2024 to provide healthcare, counseling, and recovery support. The service grew from 165 attendees in its first year to 255 women in 2025. The organization also saw a sharp rise in total engagements, moving from 1,132 in 2024 to 4,241 in 2025.

Philomena, a woman who used the service, described how the women-only environment helped her recover from a severe addiction to alcohol, cocaine, and cannabis. She participated in a 16-week confidence-building program and now works with a key worker on housing applications and plans for independent living. Staff at the facility say the center provides a safe space where women can access support with dignity, noting that some women feel comfortable enough to remove their hijabs while inside.

CEO Eddie Mullins praised the government's new National Drugs strategy but urged for sustained investment in evidence-based harm reduction. He stated that the strategy must include the voices of people affected by addiction and their families. During the same period, MQI reported that 1,470 people used its Medically Supervised Injection Facility, where staff managed 244 non-fatal overdoses.