Demand for a dedicated women-only support service operated by Merchant’s Quay Ireland (MQI) increased by 55pc last year, highlighting the growing need for specialist assistance for women experiencing addiction and homelessness.
The charity’s latest annual review shows that 255 women accessed its Jane’s Place facility in 2025, compared with 165 in 2024.
Located in Dublin city centre, Jane’s Place opened in February 2024 and was developed in collaboration with women who use its services. It provides a dedicated drop-in environment where women can access healthcare, counselling, addiction recovery support, trauma-informed therapies, case management and wellbeing programmes.
The service recorded a substantial increase in activity during its second year, delivering 4,241 engagements in 2025, compared with 1,132 the previous year.
It also facilitated 146 group sessions involving 84 women, with programmes designed to improve confidence, promote recovery and help participants rebuild their lives.
MQI said the figures demonstrate the significant demand for accessible, women-centred day services, particularly among those facing multiple challenges linked to addiction, homelessness and mental health.
Deputy head of operations for Dublin day services, Sharon Geraghty, said providing a safe and welcoming environment was central to the organisation's approach.
Staff at Jane’s Place aim to create a trusted setting where women can seek assistance without fear of judgement, while maintaining their dignity and privacy.
The importance of providing an inclusive environment has also been evident in the experiences of women from different cultural and religious backgrounds. Geraghty highlighted how some Muslim women had felt sufficiently comfortable at the facility to remove their hijabs.
Beyond its women-only services, MQI reported a significant increase in its overall work supporting people affected by homelessness and addiction.
The organisation recorded 183,763 engagements during 2025, up from 141,730 in 2024.
Commenting on the Government's recently launched National Drugs Strategy, MQI described the policy as “a step in the right direction”, while warning that further investment and practical action would be required.
Chief executive Eddie Mullins said the challenges facing people affected by substance use were becoming increasingly complex.
“We are dealing with complex drug use, mental health needs, and significant social exclusion. We need sustained investment in evidence-based harm reduction, and the strategy needs to translate into practical measures on the ground,” he said.
He also stressed the importance of involving people directly affected by addiction, alongside their families, in shaping the implementation of national policy.
“Crucially, the voices and lived experience of people affected by addiction, and of their families, must be central to how the strategy is implemented,” he added.
Meanwhile, 2025 marked the first full year of operation for Ireland's first Medically Supervised Injection Facility, based at MQI's Riverbank Centre.
A total of 1,470 people accessed the facility over the year, accounting for 15,171 visits.
Staff also successfully managed 244 non-fatal overdoses, according to the annual review.
The figures underline the continuing demand for specialist addiction services and harm-reduction supports as organisations respond to increasingly complex health and social needs across Ireland.
