Candidates call: 'Dial to Stop the Drug Dealing"

Sinn Féin local election candidate Sinéad Burke and EU candidate Tomás Sharkey have announced details of a campaign to publicise the 'Dial to Stop Drug Dealing" Freephone number (1800 220 220). According to Ms Burke, this is a freephone number that is confidential and totally anonymous. Calls are free and can be made from land lines and mobiles. The caller will not be asked for his or her name, address or phone number. All information given will be passed onto the Gardai. She said that when Sinn Féin carried out a Community Safety Audit during the summer months, one of the most important issues which came up was that people were unwilling to call the Gardai regarding suspected drug dealing in their areas and communities for fear of retaliation and she said that this freephone number has been rolled out in other parts of the country with considerable success. Over the coming weeks and months, Sinn Féin will be distributing cards with the freephone number throughout the county and will also be including it on all literature published by the party and are inviting as many people as possible to come up with ways to promote the service. 'The use of this number is a means for the public to keep their areas free from drugs and we encourage anyone with concerns about drug dealing in their area to use it with confidence and without fear,' said Ms Burke. 'Drug dealing is a scourge that has touched many communities in East Meath. I regularly meet residents who are afraid to get in touch with the authorities to report what they know. This phone line puts power back in ordinary decent people"s hands. It"s totally anonymous and the information goes straight to the Gardai.'