Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy O'Rourke for raising the issue of the provision of a drug treatment centre in Kildare. As the Deputy is aware, problem drug use continues to be one of the most significant challenges facing our country and is becoming more complex with a wider range of drugs being abused.

I wish to emphasise the Government’s commitment to tackling the drug problem. In July this year, together with the Taoiseach and the Minister for Health, I launched Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery: A Health-led Response to Drug and Alcohol Use in Ireland 2017-2025. This document sets out the Government's strategy to address the harm caused by substance misuse in our society up to 2025. The vision of the strategy is to create a healthier and safer Ireland. Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery emphasises a health-led response to drug and alcohol use in Ireland, which is based on providing safe, person-centred services that promote rehabilitation and recovery. It contains a series of actions which aim to reduce waiting times, provide greater equity of access to services around the country and remove potential barriers to accessing treatment by those with complex needs. Specifically, Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery requires the HSE to identify and address gaps in provision in a range of settings across the country, including tier 3 treatment and rehabilitation services which provide specialist interventions, such as opioid substitution treatments. The intention is to increase the number of treatment episodes provided across the range of services available and strengthen the capacity of services for individuals with high support needs. As part its commitment under the strategy, the HSE will also examine potential mechanisms to increase access to opioid substitution treatments.

During 2017 in the region of €700,000 in funding has been allocated by the HSE to voluntary organisations in the South Western Regional Drug and Alcohol Task Force area, which includes Kildare, to help individuals with substance misuse problems and their families. In addition, the HSE provides counselling and outreach services in a number of locations in Kildare. A total of 112 people are currently accessing specialised services provided by level 1 and level 2 general practitioners, 145 people are accessing services through community pharmacies in Kildare and 74 people travel to Dublin for specialist treatment. At the end of July, 25 Kildare residents were on the national methadone waiting list.

The Department of Health is seeking resources in the Estimates process for 2018 to support the implementation of the new strategy. The outcome of this process will determine the funding available to address gaps in the provision of treatment and rehabilitation services. The question of a dedicated specialist treatment centre for Kildare will be considered in this context.

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