Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)

I am taking this adjournment debate on behalf of the Minister for Health and Children.

The management and delivery of health and personal social services, including methadone services, are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. I thank the Deputy for raising this matter, as it provides me with an opportunity to outline the actions being taken by the HSE to expand the availability and access to drug treatment services within the Blanchardstown area.

Under the interim national drugs strategy for 2009 to 2016, the HSE is implementing part of "Action 34" by providing methadone clinics in targeted areas where waiting lists have emerged. Until now, services in the Blanchardstown area have been fragmented and delivered from several different sites. The new facility in the Coolmine industrial estate will provide a "one-stop shop" for the provision of addiction services to clients in the area. In late 2008, the HSE was advised that the premises was becoming available. As the premises is adjacent to two community drug projects and had planning permission for community services use, it was considered an ideal location for a treatment centre. Community services provide a range of support services, including dispensing.

The HSE replicated its successful delivery of drug treatment centres, such as the Wellmount in Finglas, by engaging with the Blanchardstown local drugs task force as the consultative channel. All key stakeholders such as statutory, community and political representatives are members of the task force. There was unanimous support and approval from the task force for the provision of addiction services at these premises. The new premises will provide a full range of treatment and rehabilitation options. The interventions available will provide assessment, advice and counselling services. It will also include stabilisation, treatment, detoxification and access to rehabilitation and integration services. The services will be delivered through a care planning process by a multi-disciplinary team. It will be staffed from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week. The service will begin on a half-day basis initially and will progress to a full day.

This is a key action in the 2010 HSE national service plan. It is part of a comprehensive harm reduction programme that the HSE is implementing across the country. There are an estimated 14,500 opiate users in Ireland. According to the latest figures available at the end of December 2009, there were 9,047 clients receiving methadone maintenance treatment services. Of these, 5,382 had their methadone dispensed by pharmacists in the community rather than in specialist addiction clinics. The number of GPs providing methadone maintenance treatment at the end of December 2009 was 277, while the number of pharmacies involved was 480. The HSE is planning to expand these services in 2010.

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