13/05/2026
𝗕𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗳𝗶𝗴𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝘀 𝗡𝗜 𝗱𝗿𝘂𝗴-𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗲
Ulster Unionist Deputy Leader and Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA Diana Armstrong has reacted to the publication today by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) of its annual figures on drug-related and drug misuse deaths in Northern Ireland, which show that 251 drug-related deaths were registered in 2024, 219 of which fell within the definition of drug misuse.
Diana Armstrong MLA said:
"Behind every one of these 251 figures is a person; a son, a daughter, a parent, a friend and a family left to grieve. That human reality must never be lost in the statistics.
“It is deeply troubling that drug-related deaths in Northern Ireland have continued on an upward trajectory over the past decade, with 219 of last year's deaths attributed to drug misuse. These numbers represent not only individual tragedies but a collective failure to get a grip on this crisis, and I share the frustration of many at the lack of meaningful action from the drugs taskforce.
“In my work as an MLA, I have been looking closely at the unspoken and often hidden reality of drug use in our rural communities. The ease with which substances can be accessed, even in the most remote parts of Fermanagh and South Tyrone, is frankly staggering. This is no longer a problem we can pretend is confined to our towns and cities.
“Today's figures also lay bare the stark link between deprivation and drug-related death, with our most deprived communities bearing a wholly disproportionate burden. That demands a response rooted in prevention, treatment and recovery, alongside proper enforcement.
“We owe it to those we have lost, and to the many still struggling, to do considerably more than is currently being done."
