Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for their presentation. It is a fascinating subject, as it relates to those in situations where they have both a dependency issue and mental health difficulties. I have always argued with myself about what comes first. Is it the trauma, is it the dependency or is it the social determinants? We all have experience of this. If somebody is suffering from a difficulty in their lives, they sometimes turn to something. That could be alcohol, or prescribed drugs, or controlled drugs and so forth. That can lead to serious difficulties. It is a perpetual cycle where it can be very difficult, not only for the person, but for their families, communities and so forth.

My first question relates to situations where people find themselves with a dual diagnosis. I am sure there are difficult circumstances where somebody goes to a medical expert who tells that person he or she cannot treat that person's situation because that person has an addiction to prescribed drugs. In what kind of medical situation could that happen? I am sure that does happen. However, can we have an outline of where that could happen?