Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Drug-related deaths are a human tragedy for the families and friends of the people involved. They have a considerable impact on communities and society as a whole. It is extremely disturbing that many of those who have died as a result of taking drugs were 40 or younger and that a significant number had coexisting addiction and mental illness problems. While it is clear that there are no easy solutions to addressing what is a very complex problem, the Government is committed to stepping up the effort to reduce the number of drug-related deaths.

The latest annual figures from the national drug-related deaths index show a slight decrease in the number of drug-related deaths from 645 in 2011 to 633 in 2012. However, the overall trend since records began in 2004 shows an increase of 50% in drug-related deaths. I agree this is an issue of major concern for Irish society. In the region of 5,300 people have died during this period and each of those deaths was a tragedy in its own right.

While the number of deaths in which heroin or methadone was involved continues to decline, the number of such deaths remains at a high level. The fact that almost 90% of these deaths involved poly-drug use, with over half not registered on the central treatment list at the time of death, suggests that we need to redouble our efforts to get people registered as people with a drug problem and help them achieve a sustained recovery. Government policy in relation to tackling the drug problem is set out in the National Drugs Strategy 2009-2016. The strategy is a cross-cutting area of public policy and service delivery. It reflects the fact that problem drug users have complex needs which may require multiple interventions involving a range of different agencies, including law enforcement and education.

An additional €2.1 million was included in the HSE budget for 2015 for a series of measures aimed at encouraging those dependent on drugs to avail of treatment and other supports to reintegrate them into society. These measures include enhanced provision for residential detoxification, which is more detox beds, and rehabilitation facilities and the mainstreaming of needle exchange facilities outside of the Dublin area. The budget of local drugs task forces has not been cut in 2015. I am, unfortunately, not in a position to increase their budgets and acknowledge their increased workloads now that they have responsibility for alcohol too.

I am firmly of the view that many drug-related deaths are avoidable, in particular, those involving heroin or methadone overdoses. For this reason, I have given the HSE the go ahead to run a naloxone demonstration project, which will commence in the first quarter of 2015. The project will involve supplying 600 opioid users and their families with an antidote to drug overdoses to help stem the numbers of drug-related deaths. Naloxone reverses the effects of drugs like heroin, morphine and methadone if someone overdoses. This project will increase access to naloxone for non-medical staff, such as care workers, family and peers of opioid users.

As I mentioned earlier, the Health Research Board report also indicates that over half of those who died from traumatic causes in 2012 had a history of mental illness. Dealing with the current high levels of suicide and deliberate self-harm is a priority for this Government and my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch. My Department and the HSE national office for suicide prevention are close to completing a new strategic framework for suicide prevention for the period 2015-2019. The Deputy will be aware that under this Government the budget of that office has been doubled. The framework aims to ensure that pathways of care for persons at risk of suicide or in suicidal crisis can be accessible, acceptable and available. It will take account of all relevant policies such as A Vision for Change, Healthy Ireland and the National Substance Misuse Strategy, as well as the report on drug-related deaths.

My Department will shortly commence work on the development of a new national drugs strategy for the period after 2016. The process will involve a comprehensive consultation with key stakeholders and the public on the current national drugs policy and future priorities. It will also take account of evidence-based research, information and data sources on the extent and nature of problem drug use in Ireland, including drug-related deaths.

I want to assure the House and the Deputy that the Government takes the issue of drug-related deaths extremely seriously and is committed to tackling this problem through all the mechanisms available.

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