Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

On that point, many of the drug treatment centres are helping people to get access to medical services. I visited a number of centres. In one centre, for instance, a GP and nurses are going into the street and getting people into the centre for medical treatment. Many people who have had an adverse event in an accident and emergency department are now afraid of going to an accident and emergency department but need medical treatment. The facility I am talking about, which is in Limerick, is doing a lot of work with people who need that medical care.

In Cork, for instance, I know the HSE is providing medical support, both nurses and doctors, in some of the residential centres and night facilities that are available so that people in those institutions are getting access to medical treatment. We are working towards having a day centre to which people can come to access medical services. Many areas of the country have such a facility. We need to do more, but there is a co-ordinated approach being adopted by the drug treatment centres, the HSE and all the people in healthcare who are working in the communities. A lot of good work is being done. We need to grow that work. It is not just about dealing with the issue of drug addiction. It is also about dealing with other medical issues that arise. One of the housing bodies has identified an issue to me. It has got people through drug rehabilitation and people are no longer dependent on drugs but still require support. That body is providing housing. Those people now have new challenges. People as young as 40, as a result of their addiction problems, are now showing signs of dementia or Alzheimer's. That is a new challenge for that housing organisation. The issues are complex. It is important we have a good support team in place in every area to give support to deal with drug or alcohol addiction and to deal with other medical issues a person may have.