Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)

I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive reply. Let us consider the phrases he used regarding the national drugs strategy. He referred to the mid-term review and implied the aims and objectives of the strategy are fundamentally sound. My interpretation of this is that he is trying to adopt the right approach. He says frequently that progress is being made across the pillars, but this does not indicate its extent, which could be great or very small. The statement is vague and unfocused.

The fact that there are an estimated 300,000 cannabis users in the country, and possibly 28,000 dependent thereon, is one side of the matter. The Minister of State mentioned heroin in his reply and referred to increased treatment places. This increase is very welcome and I acknowledge it but I must draw attention to a case that arose in my area with which I dealt recently. A young man of approximately 20 years, whose weight has decreased to six stone and who lives on mashed Rice Krispies, is still taking a lot of heroin. He has sores and I am told his teeth are falling out and his veins are collapsing. I understand the only suitable setting for him is in a controlled detox bed. To the best of my knowledge, such beds are available in Beaumont but nowhere else. The young man is suicidal and in danger of dying and his mother, who communicated with me this morning, is receiving no responses from the system.

Highlighting one such case is not the best way to argue a point but one should note the circumstances I described arise elsewhere. It is fine to list statistics and percentages but when a family is faced with a case such as I have described, one must ask whether the system is able to provide for a very urgent need.

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