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

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. When I conclude my contribution, he probably will not be happy, but I will explain as I go along.

The Department of Health co-ordinates the strategic response to drug and alcohol problems, as set out in Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery - A health-led response to drug and alcohol use in Ireland 2017-2025. An objective of that strategy is to achieve better health and social outcomes for people who have experienced harm from substance misuse, and to meet their recovery and rehabilitation needs.

Ensuring timely access to health and social care services and extending the range of treatment options available is essential to achieving better outcomes. To this end, the strategy commits to expanding the availability and geographical spread of relevant quality drug and alcohol services and improving the range of services available, based on identified need. Drug and alcohol task forces play a key role in assessing the extent and nature of substance misuse in their areas, and in supporting community responses, as part of a co-ordinated approach involving all sectors at local and regional levels.

The south western regional drug and alcohol task force covers south and west Dublin, west Wicklow and Kildare. I am aware that the Deputy is a member of the task force and I thank him for dedicating his time to this initiative and other groups in the area. As the Deputy is aware, the task force supports many community addiction services in Kildare. These include the Abbey Regional Addiction Service, the HALO project for those aged under 18 and various community and family support projects In addition, the HSE provides addiction services in the county, including outreach workers and addiction counsellors. In 2018, the Department of Health allocated €3.2 million to fund the expansion of drug and alcohol treatment services. Kildare has been prioritised under this funding and I understand the HSE recently submitted a proposal to the Department of Health for an addiction day service in the county, at a cost of almost €260,000. This service will cater for up to 80 clients at full capacity.

I understand the Abbey community project has met the task force to discuss its funding proposal and this was subsequently forwarded to the HSE. I advise that the project continues to engage with these bodies to advance its proposal, which can be considered as part of the Estimates process for the HSE for 2019.

I very much appreciate the importance of community based projects such as the Abbey community project in Celbridge, County Kildare, in offering support to individuals and their families affected by substance abuse and mental health issues. Such projects provide a vital first step for those affected by drugs in seeking recovery. They reflect a compassionate and human approach to addiction underpinned by values of respect, equality and inclusion. I assure the Deputy the expansion of the drug and alcohol treatment service will continue to be a priority under the national drug strategy in order that counties such as Kildare, which have an expanding urban population, are adequately catered for in terms of available and accessible services.

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