Damien English (Meath, Fine Gael)

Two bits were excluded from the question. I asked about the "alternatives to methadone treatment that exist for heroin misusers" and "the structures in place to allow them to become drug free". If the Minister of State's section of the Department is not responsible for such matters, we are wasting our time here. We are supposed to be debating the problem of drugs and the Government's strategy for dealing with it. They are the two key aspects of the matter. According to the Government's figures, more than 8,000 people are on methadone and it is costing approximately €30 million. I cannot get further details of the matter or have a discussion on it. How can we talk about the drugs strategy, treatment and rehabilitation when responsibility for providing answers is given to another organisation? I will not get an answer to my question for many months. The Minister of State knows as well as I do what happens in the Health Service Executive when a question is referred to it.

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