Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I will take written replies to my questions. I raised the question of drugs treatment. I am not satisfied. There is a greater emphasis now on acceptance and that it is inevitable that people are addicts and that nothing can be done about it. That is a mistake. I ask questions on the number of drug treatment programmes that are offered to addicts or users of drugs and the results among those who were successfully encouraged off drugs, those who were not, and those who were not offered a programme at all.

I also mentioned child mental health services and the lack of maternity cover for speech and language therapists.

The result is a gap in treatment for the child concerned, which is hugely negative. What is being done about that? It is not something that is going to cost €10 million or even €1 million. It is something simple and could make a huge contribution in the context of the treatment of the child.