Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The national drugs strategy document, Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery, is another fine document among many dealing with a substance misuse problem that has, unfortunately, been part of the fabric of our society for a number of generations. Drug addiction has resulted in the deaths of thousands of people across the country and has affected society at every level. No one, no social group and no demographic is immune from the issues of substance misuse. However, addiction is a problem that has particularly affected marginalised communities which have experienced widespread social and economic deprivation.

Drug and alcohol addictions will continue to adversely affect all aspects of community life because of the unfortunate reality that, while this current strategy has many commendable aspirations and goals, its lacks the teeth to implement them fully. Simply put, we need more investment. The once-off funding of €290,000 across all task forces for the fourth quarter of 2018 to which the Minster of State referred is simply not enough. The Minister of State also mentioned €710,000 to be allocated by the HSE. While this is welcome, it is essential that each task force avails of it and decides on its use. I have visited many groups and organisations across the city that have been at the coalface in terms of dealing with the substance misuse problem over the past year and they have told me that this lack of funding is a serious problem for them. My own involvement with the Finglas Cabra Drug and Alcohol Task Force, which incidentally, receives proportionately even less funding than other such groups in the country, tells me that all the fine words, reports and aspirations are meaningless if the groups are not given adequate funding to implement these strategies. Increases in funding in more recent years have not even brought funding levels back to the levels prior to 2007 and 2008, years in which significant cuts were made to funding for drugs and alcohol task forces. The resulting cuts in funding had a hugely negative impact on service provision and continue to do so.

As regards the general concepts of the strategy, we can all agree that drug and alcohol misuse are primarily public health issues. Sinn Féin would equally support and advocate an holistic approach to prevention, rehabilitation and recovery. Strategies for those in treatment must include proper access to accommodation, education, vocational training, employment and, most importantly, childcare. There is also a need to increase employment opportunities. That requires working in partnership with trade unions, employer organisations and Government agencies helping those in recovery to rebuild their lives and integrate back into their communities. However, none of this can be done, or done adequately, without significant investment, even just to restore services cut at the time of the economic crash without even taking into account inflation since then.

While there is much to comment on in the strategy, I welcome the fact that it gives consideration to issues concerning mental health, mental illness and co-morbid substance misuse. I recently visited the HSE's Keltoi centre. This is an award-winning substance misuse and trauma residential treatment centre at St. Mary's Hospital in the Phoenix Park. Keltoi has developed programmes that work with people presenting with mental illness and co-morbid substance misuse. I would strongly suggest that organisations such as Keltoi, which have the experience and the programmes, be given a role in the development of the mental health dual diagnosis programme envisaged in the Minister of State's drugs and alcohol strategy.

Substance misuse is an ever-evolving scourge on society. Our children are being groomed to be couriers. The introduction of drugs such as crack cocaine, meth and other highly-toxic substances into communities has led to a near breakdown in society in other jurisdictions. These drugs are now coming into Ireland. We need the investment and resources to combat them. Society needs to be vigilant and we, as legislators, also need to be vigilant. While this document goes some way to recognising these concerns, it lacks bite when it comes to delivery.

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