An advocate for the homeless and people affected by drug habit has been awarded the 2024 Irish Crimson Cross (IRC) Lifetime Achievement Award. cofounder
Tony Geoghegan was chosen for “his foresight in cofounding Retailers Quay Eire again in 1989 and his many subsequent years devoted to working with the homeless and individuals who had critical points with drug use”, the Irish Crimson Cross stated in an announcement.
“He has continuously highlighted the rising problems with drug use, the dearth of habit centres and coverings in addition to homelessness in Eire,” the assertion stated, noting Mr Geoghegan has labored throughout a spread of therapy settings “from disaster intervention together with needle trade, to day counselling providers and on to residential drug-free therapeutic communities and aftercare, jail counselling and resettlement programmes”.
Mr Geoghegan is an accredited habit counsellor and scientific supervisor and is a former chairman of the Habit Counsellors of Eire organisation.
He based the Retailers Quay Venture alongside Fr Sean Cassin in 1989. It later grew to become Retailers Quay Eire in 2001 and now employs greater than 200 workers, offering providers throughout Eire.
On receiving the award, Mr Geoghegan stated he was “very shocked and so honoured”.
“Getting an award for one thing you are feeling enthusiastic about is a bit surreal. Not all people will get a chance to work in a job that may be a good match with who they’re and what they want to contribute. So, I contemplate myself very lucky to have labored within the areas of drug habit and homelessness,” he stated.
“That stated, it was not with out its frustrations and challenges. To be given a chance to affect constructive coverage change, and to have a platform to advocate for simply and satisfactory providers for people who find themselves disempowered and susceptible has additionally been rewarding”.
It was “past irritating” to see homeless individuals in tents on the streets and rising numbers of kids and households in homelessness, Mr Geoghegan stated. Within the space of drug habit, there was “a lot extra to be achieved”, he added.
“We want compassion, tolerance, ardour, daring risk-taking and ambition from our policymakers, and elected representatives. There must be a unified and consolidated effort to redress a number of the systemic failures that folks in drug habit and homelessness endure,” he stated.
Mr Geoghegan’s work with a number of the most susceptible individuals in society was “fairly inspirational and must be held for example to everybody the place we have to assist anybody that finds themselves in difficult conditions via no fault of their very own”, secretary normal of the IRC Deirdre Garvey stated.
The annual IRC Humanitarian Awards will honour nominated finalists throughout 5 classes along with the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Pat Carey, chairman of the IRC, stated it was “essential that we honour and recognise the essential work that’s being accomplished by humanitarians and their ongoing contribution to Irish society, which serves as a strong instance to all of us.
“The Irish Crimson Cross Humanitarian Awards purpose to have a good time these individuals and organisations and spotlight the wonderful work that they do.”