Alex White (Dublin South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 1:

To delete all words after “Dáil Éireann” and substitute the following:

“recognises:

— the scale of the problem of addiction throughout Ireland and the increasing demands on services;

— that poly-drug use has increased significantly due to the increase in the accessibility and range of dangerous substances, both illegal and unregulated;

— the increased risk to individuals using substances and lethal combinations of substances with respect to overdose, fatality and long-term ill health;

— the numbers of drug and alcohol related deaths each year are more than twice that of the numbers of deaths on our roads;

— the strong association between drug/alcohol abuse and suicide, and also accidental death;

— the increased use of technology in accessing harmful substances;

— the continuous on-street dealing in disadvantaged communities, the levels of intimidation and fear because of violence by drug gangs and the availability of firearms;

— that alcohol has been identified as a contributory factor in 90% of public order offences as recorded under the Police Using Leading Systems Effectively (PULSE) system and alcohol related crime costs the State almost €1.2 billion a year;

— that alcohol and drug related illness costs the health system a further €1.2 billion yearly;

— the link between economic and social disadvantage, including early school leaving, unemployment, housing conditions and problem drug/alcohol addiction and crime;

— the number of children with need for child protection because of families’ problems with drug and alcohol addiction;

— the links between mental health, homelessness and addiction; and

— the unacceptable levels of drug abuse in our prisons;

acknowledges:

— the work of the statutory, voluntary and community sectors, the partnership model, the pillars of treatment and rehabilitation, supply control, prevention and research and family support;

— the role of the Young People’s Facilities and Services Fund in targeting those most at risk of drug abuse in funding services and facilities in many areas, particularly to those most vulnerable;

— the work of the Community Policing Forums in promoting collaborative work between the communities, local authorities and Gardaí to resolve local drug related and antisocial behaviour issues;

— the work of the various groups, government departments and agencies, the community and voluntary sectors and others in producing the National Substance Misuse Strategy Report;

— the work of the community and voluntary sectors in engaging those in addiction and in recovery from addiction in services; and

— the improvement in best practice and the range of treatment, rehabilitation and recovery for those in addiction; and supports the Government in its determination to tackle the issue of substance misuse and addiction through:

— continuing to support local, regional and national structures of the National Drugs Strategy involving community, voluntary and statutory services in the coordinated delivery of responses at individual, family and community level to the benefit of those most affected by problems of addiction;

— taking measures to strengthen the effectiveness of Drugs Task Forces;

— taking progressive measures, such as expanding the provision of needle exchange services around the country;

— continuing to implement the Irish Prison Service’s Drugs Policy and Strategy, ‘Keeping Drugs out of Prison’, to develop drug treatment services and enhance supply reduction measures across the State’s prisons;

— supporting the continued efforts of An Garda Síochána in tackling organised crime and those involved in drug dealing at local level in our communities; and

— its intention to bring forward a co-ordinated National Substance Misuse Strategy.”

I thank you, a Chathaoirligh, for your kind words and I also thank other colleagues for their kind words. I welcome the debate and I congratulate Deputy Maureen O Sullivan and her colleagues on tabling the motion. There is considerable agreement between us although not total agreement and therefore I believe it is appropriate to ask the House to support the Government's amendment in this regard.

At the outset I wish to recognise the very considerable work in which Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan has been involved over many years with her colleagues and collaborators - if I may describe them as such - back to the involvement of the former Deputy, the late Tony Gregory, who did such extraordinary work not just in promoting the debate and discussion, but in taking a very fearless attitude and public stance over much of what was happening in his constituency and indeed throughout the country. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan may be aware that I have some involvement in one of the organisations she mentioned in the course of her speech, the SAOL project, with which I am very glad to have been associated over a number of years. I acknowledge the work she mentioned that the SAOL project and others are doing.

There is a high degree of agreement among us particularly on the harms caused by addiction, be it drugs, alcohol or other forms, to individuals, their families and friends and society in general. There are approximately 14,500 known opiate users in Ireland. Current figures indicate that more than 12,500 are in receipt of drug treatment, of whom more than 9,300 are in receipt of methadone treatment.

Alcohol plays a complex role in Irish society. Unfortunately, its consumption for enjoyment and sociability - along with its economic benefits - is overshadowed by the harm and health problems it causes when it is misused or consumed in a harmful and hazardous way. The National Drugs Prevalence Survey 2010-2011 indicated that 87% of adults aged between 18 and 64 years are classified as current drinkers. Some 58% of current drinkers, representing half of the State's population, are classified as consuming alcohol in a harmful manner. These are stark figures.

The Government is committed to maintaining the impetus in tackling the drugs problem through the full implementation of the national drugs strategy. It sets out a series of actions to deal with the drugs problem under the five pillars. I accept this requires a multifaceted and multifactorial approach and it cannot be reduced to one approach or another whether in the important criminal justice area or any other area - all of the areas must be brought together. Those five pillars are supply reduction, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and research, each of which is important.

Co-operation and interagency working between the statutory, voluntary and community sectors is crucial to the success of the national drugs strategy. Expenditure on drugs services by Departments, State agencies and others is in the region of €250 million per year. As I will outline, significant progress is being achieved across the five pillars of the strategy I mentioned.

On supply reduction, I can assure the House that drug law enforcement remains a key priority area for An Garda Síochána and the Government. An Garda Síochána continues to proactively and resolutely tackle all forms of drug crime. The Garda national drugs unit, works closely with divisional and district drug units and other national units, including the organised crime unit, as well as the Criminal Assets Bureau, in targeting persons involved in the illicit sale and supply of drugs.

The association between the drugs trade and the use of violence and intimidation, as adverted to by some earlier speakers, remains a significant problem and the State will continue to utilise all resources at its disposal in pursuing those involved. The recent brutal murders have shown the callous disregard some people have for human life and the Garda is determined to do everything it can to bring the perpetrators to justice. The Minister for Justice and Equality is in ongoing contact with the Garda Commissioner about all aspect of serious crime. The Garda will continue to bear down heavily on the activities of those involved in gangland crime including drug crime.

The use of intimidation in the pursuit of drug-related debts is a matter which is being treated as a priority by the Garda. A framework is being developed between the Garda national drugs unit and the Family Support Network to assist persons who may be subject to the threat of drug-related intimidation.

In targeting those involved in drug trafficking a number of strategies have been put in place by An Garda Síochána to address the sale, supply, importation and distribution of illegal drugs. This approach is continuing to result in significant drug seizures and the related arrests of those involved in this trade and other forms of criminality. Provisional Garda figures for the period January to August 2012 indicate that 11,263 drug offences were detected, with 9,743 related arrests made. Based on figures provided to An Garda Síochána by the Forensic Science Laboratory, it is estimated that drugs with an approximate street value of €59.3 million were recorded as seized during the first six months of the year. The seizure data do not include a number of significant seizures made at the end of the first six-month period which remain the subject of further analysis and which will be reflected in later Forensic Science Laboratory returns. For example, in June as part of an ongoing intelligence-led operation targeting organised crime, the Garda national drugs unit, working with colleagues from the Revenue's Customs service, seized in excess of 400 kg of cocaine following searches in west Dublin and Kildare and arrested a number of key players involved in the drugs trade. I commend An Garda Síochána and the customs authorities on their ongoing work in this regard.

This Government has taken concerted action to tackle the emergence of new psychoactive substances, often known as legal highs. Since the middle of 2010, more than 260 psychoactive substances have been declared controlled drugs under the misuse of drugs Acts. In addition, the Criminal Justice (Psychoactive Substances) Act 2010, made it a criminal offence to sell or supply substances which have psychoactive effects on humans. This combination of initiatives has had a huge effect on the availability of new psychoactive substances that were in the main being sold through head shops. The Garda report that the number of head shops operating here has been reduced from more than 100 to three. The Garda continue to monitor retail outlets involved in the sale of equipment that can be used to cultivate cannabis and investigate any incidents involving the availability of psychoactive substances through retail outlets.

As stated by colleagues earlier, under the Medicinal Products (Prescription and Control of Supply) Regulations, it is prohibited for a person to supply a prescription medicine by mail order, including over the Internet. Furthermore, it is an offence to produce, import, export, sell, supply or possess substances controlled under the misuse of drugs Acts and regulations, except in accordance with a licence. The Department of Health is currently reviewing the misuse of drugs regulations, to introduce additional controls on benzodiazepine medicines which are known to be traded illicitly. The new measures will require import and export licences and create an offence for persons who possess these substances without a prescription, licence or other authority.

The strategy recognises the vital importance of promoting a greater awareness and understanding of the dangers of problem drug and alcohol use. Prevention measures are in place, focusing on those most at risk as well as on the general population. National media campaigns are undertaken by the HSE and include the development and-or support of information websites such as www.drugs.ie, www.yourdrinking.ie, www.healthpromotion.ie and regional awareness raising events such as drug awareness week.

The Government is particularly focused on ensuring that there is an increased emphasis on moving people from drug treatment to a drug-free life, where this is achievable. The report of the working group on drugs rehabilitation, published in 2007, sets out the framework for a multifaceted approach to the delivery of rehabilitation. Considerable progress has been achieved, with an increased number of places in the opiate substitution programmes, more detox beds and more places in rehabilitation programmes. For example there are currently 142 beds available for medical and community-based detoxification and 642 residential rehabilitation beds for those suffering from addiction of various types, the majority of which are being utilised by people with problems relating to alcohol. Additional detox beds were recently provided at a number of locations, including in Bruree, County Limerick; Farnanes, County Cork; Tullow, County Carlow and Ballyragget, County Kilkenny. The HSE continues to prioritise treatment and is currently assessing demand for residential services, reviewing funding arrangements and standardising service level agreements. There has also been an increase in the availability of needle exchange services, with the roll-out of the pharmacy needle exchange programme, in which more than 40 pharmacies are participating. The programme is being expanded over a three year period.

The HSE provides a wide range of services in respect of alcohol related harm. These include health promotion activities and campaigns, outreach and counselling services, addiction services, family support, treatment of patients presenting with alcohol related harm in acute hospitals and support of voluntary organisations. A review of the methadone treatment protocol in 2010 made a number of recommendations, including the involvement of more GPs in the methadone service, more emphasis on moving clients towards recovery, more opportunities for detoxification with appropriate follow-up and greater use of alternatives to methadone. Implementation of these recommendations is overseen by the HSE's social inclusion governance group.

The Irish Prison Service continues to implement its drugs policy and strategy, entitled "Keeping Drugs out of Prison". This drugs strategy was launched in May 2006 and significant progress has been made to date. The strategy seeks to reduce the demand for drugs within the prison system through education, treatment and rehabilitation services for drug-addicted prisoners. Initiatives include the provision of detoxification, methadone maintenance, education programmes, addiction counselling and drug therapy programmes.

Any person entering prison with a history of opiate use and testing positive for opioids on committal is offered medically assisted symptomatic detoxification. Patients can, as part of the assessment process, discuss with health care staff other treatment options which may include stabilisation on methadone maintenance for persons who wish to continue on methadone while in prison. Methadone maintenance is available in nine places of detention, accounting for more than 80% of the prison population. The Prison Service often engages with patients who have not accessed community-based treatment services. The drugs treatment policy has also led to a reduction in the incidence of post release overdoses, since there is a strong emphasis on continuity of care between prison services and the community services.

As part of the Government commitment to deliver focused services to people in rehabilitation, 1,000 CE drug rehabilitation places have been ring-fenced within the community employment sector. The drug rehabilitation places operate as CE schemes but with a special remit around rehabilitation and training to prepare participants to progress to employment. The line between rehabilitation and recovery on the one hand and employment and training on the other is often blurred. In the world of recovery from addiction, labour market participation is one of the surest ways to enhance self-esteem and reinforce stability and recovery. This balance between rehabilitation and training has been at the core of community employment on drug task force projects and is reflected in the national drugs strategy. In June 2012, there were 807 participants in CE drug rehabilitation projects. The CE drug rehabilitation projects are working with the Department of Social Protection to ensure that there is adequate funding for the continuation of the valuable work undertaken by such schemes.

The role of the family in drug rehabilitation cannot be overstated. The national drugs strategy states that families should be seen as service users in their own right; that service providers should actively seek the participation of families in the rehabilitation process and the reconciliation of families, if that is necessary. The HSE works with a number of agencies to support prevention measures with families. Some examples of these initiatives include roll-out of the strengthening families programme and delivery of a comprehensive concerned persons programme in support of family members who experience significant difficulties arising from alcohol and substance misuse. The strengthening families programme is a 14 session, evidence based parenting skills, children's life skills and family life skills training programme aimed at preventing and reducing alcohol and drug misuse and anti-social behaviour and crime among young people.

The drugs task forces play an important role in tackling the drug problem in local communities. They support more than 400 community-based drugs initiatives, which operate a range of interventions covering treatment and rehabilitation, drug awareness and prevention, community safety initiatives and support for families of problem drug users. This year, the Department of Health is providing almost €31.5 million in funding to the drugs initiative, which primarily supports the activities of community-based drugs projects in drugs task force areas. A review of the drugs task forces and associated structures has taken place and recommendations will be considered by the Government shortly. The core objectives of the review are to strengthen the effectiveness of the drugs task forces, improve accountability for their activities and expenditure and streamline the funding arrangements tothe community drugs projects.

I would now like to return to the question of alcohol and its place in our society. The misuse of alcohol is responsible for a wide range of health and social harms in society. A significant burden is placed on the resources of the State in dealing with the consequences of alcohol misuse.

See this speech in context