Mr. Mick Devine:

It is preferable that someone is drug-free on admission. Sometimes we screen for that and at other times we do not. We can refer people to centres nearby for detoxification. The HSE is planning on opening a residential detoxification centre in Cork.

We do not see it as essential, it is not a strict criteria of ours, that people are drug and alcohol free on admission. It is almost to be expected, if someone is serious about treatment, that they will go for one last fling before they come in. We then take care of their safe detoxification.