Mr. Gerry Cooney:

We welcome the opportunity to address the committee and discuss the challenges that Covid-19 has presented over the past 18 months, and take questions. My opening statement will be brief in comparison with earlier. It is fair to say that our experience is very similar to what both Ms Leonard and Mr. Greaves have shared with us this morning. Some of the challenges posed by the last 18 months are familiar and resonate.

The Rutland opened in 1978 in Walkinstown before moving to Knocklyon in 1983 where it remains today. In April of last year, the centre was forced to close for the first time in 42 years due to the challenges presented by the pandemic that was impacting on all our lives. Thankfully, clients who were engaged in early recovery at that time were supported online and maintained regular contact with the service until the centre reopened in mid-June after two very challenging months for the management, staff and clients.

The centre had to undergo extensive changes to adapt to the protocols recommended by the HSE to provide a safe and supportive working environment for both residents and visitors to the service. Today, the programme again provides a 16-bed residential facility, and an outpatient support group for eight individuals and their families. At present, the centre has between 240 and 280 individuals in our aftercare and continuing care programmes. The centre was forced to adapt to the changes and challenges that Covid-19 created. In fact, having to move online allowed us to reach out to more individuals who may have struggled to access support and recovery options. Many changes had to be made to the service, including providing secure online platforms, extensive training programmes for on-site staff and changing the daily programme in order to follow all the guidelines recommended.

Since reopening in June 2020, the centre has been extremely busy responding to the volume of calls and demands for places in all of our programmes. Without a doubt families have been affected by the confinement and, for many, issues have been magnified by the lockdown. Alcohol remains the issue that creates most problems for individuals and families who are desperately looking for help. Among those seeking intervention and support for drug and substance use cocaine is still the drug of choice for the majority of those presenting.

Regarding process addictions, we have seen some increase in calls for help to tackle online gambling and pornography, which may in time translate to a greater demand for these services. The lack of support for families is a particular concern and an area that requires urgent resources and attention. From a practical point of view, it has been a real challenge to support families as before with the restrictions to visiting and physical meetings on site at the centre.

It is also important to mention that the past 18 months have also noticeably brought a growing number of more complex cases among those presenting for help due to the closure of services elsewhere. The Rutland is eager to continue to build relationships with the HSE in order to respond to the request for places for public beds. We believe that treatment should be readily available and accessible to all.

While it has been a very challenging time at Rutland, the staff remain highly motivated and determined to continue to provide a supportive environment for those who continue to seek help. Early intervention and the possibilities of providing much-needed support for families before, during and post treatment remain high on our list of priorities, and these are the areas that can perhaps be supported most urgently by those in a position to influence policy and funding. We are always happy to engage with other services and share our experiences to create greater awareness of the presenting challenges that we suspect all addiction services face at this time. We would welcome questions and are happy to share our thoughts and experiences on any of the issues raised.