John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I raise the issue of funding for Tiglin rehabilitation centre in Ashford, County Wicklow. I know that the Minister of State is aware of this matter and has had the opportunity to visit Tiglin in the past. Tiglin was established in about 2008 in a fairly remote part of County Wicklow. For anybody who has had the opportunity to visit the facility, there has been a transformation in the past seven, eight or nine years since its very humble and modest beginnings. The centre provides residential rehabilitation programmes for both males and females in addiction. Its programmes are very holistic and complete. It is not just about dealing with addiction but about trying to equip people to go back into normal life, giving them skills - whether that is in terms of doing courses in manual handling, HACCP, first aid or parenting - and eventually helping them with housing and so forth. It takes a very rounded and holistic approach. I had the opportunity at one point to sit in the Minister of State's seat. From the visits I paid to Tiglin, I was really impressed with the work done there.

Like many organisations dealing with residential rehabilitation, Tiglin is working on a shoestring budget. Funding is insecure from year to year and is in most cases dependent on voluntary contributions and local fundraising efforts. Residential rehabilitation does not come cheap. On the other hand, the outcomes are very good. The cost of having somebody continuing in addiction is much higher than treating a person who can live a life free from it. I do not want to get into the details now - as they can be discussed later - but the outcomes arrived at in respect of those who access Tiglin have been proven to be extremely good. I have met people from my area who have gone through the process, having been in residential care in Tiglin for a year, and who have moved on with their lives, do not use any substances and are free of addiction. They now lead different lifestyles.

I am raising this issue today because, for the past couple of years, Tiglin has received funding from different HSE regions. The problem is that the services it provides cannot be turned on and off. A few weeks ago, right at the end of last year, the centre received a letter from the HSE Dublin north - I think it is in CHO area 9 - effectively advising it that no funding would be forthcoming this year. In my view, that is a very unreasonable thing to do with no advance warning and no preparation time given. From the point of view of the rehabilitation service, it is not in a position to close its doors and tell people to go home as it has no place for them. That would be unthinkable.

The amount of funding involved in recent years was €50,000. The underlying concern is that, because of where Tiglin is located, it is not a locally-based resource. In other words, it does not just pick people from its own immediate catchment area. People from all over Dublin are using the service. When I made inquiries -the Minister of State is probably aware of this - I discovered that one quarter of the people who are in residential care in Tiglin are from the HSE Dublin north catchment area. It has chosen this year to withdraw its entire funding, which is only €50,000. That money would not cover 20% of the cost of dealing with the cohort from the area in question who are using the service. However, the loss of that €50,000 has put an unbearable strain on Tiglin. What is worse is that HSE Dublin north has suggested to the organisers, the CEO and those running Tiglin that they should apply to a different HSE region for funding. That is not compatible. There needs to be joined-up thinking. The organisation does not have the wherewithal or the capability to apply to various parts of the HSE in order to seek funding. It is looking for a joined-up response from the Minister of State and the HSE regarding the provision of funding. The latter should - at a minimum - be provided at the same level as has been the case up to now, particularly as the demand for the services offered at the centre is increasing rather than decreasing.

Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Curran for raising the issue of the provision of funding for Tiglin residential rehabilitation services. As the Deputy is acutely 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 issues and abuse. I would like to emphasise this Government’s commitment and ongoing support, in line with the national drugs strategy, for initiatives to tackle the drug problem. The overall objective of the strategy is to tackle the harm caused to individuals and society by the misuse of drugs. The strategy emphasises the need to provide opportunities for people to move on from illicit drug use to a drug-free life where that is achievable.

In the context of the Government’s commitment to addressing the drugs issue, an additional €3 million in funding has been allocated to the HSE this year for addiction services. The increased budget includes funding for a pilot supervised injection facility, more detox places and improved access to treatment services for under eighteens and others.

With regard to the specific issue raised by the Deputy, I am advised that the HSE provided over €390,000 in funding to Tiglin in 2016. An additional grant of €50,000 was also provided by the HSE last year in respect of the provision of residential drug treatment episodes. This funding was issued by the HSE on a once-off basis and Tiglin was informed that it was not a recurring payment. I understand that the overall funding for residential drug treatment services currently provided by Tiglin is being examined by the HSE in the context of the national unit cost study. This study will highlight the funding required to maintain an appropriate level of service to individuals receiving residential treatment services funded by the HSE. This will involve an assessment of the needs of service users.

The HSE has assured me that the allocation of available resources to residential drug treatment services this year will be informed by the outcome of the unit cost study. Finally, I emphasise to the Deputy that the Government is committed to putting the national drugs strategy in place this year in order to provide leadership and a renewed response to address the drug problem in Ireland. It is expected that the drug strategy will build on the harm-reducing approach of previous policies.

I made some inquiries about the withdrawal of funding before I came down to the House. As I said, it was a once-off payment by the HSE CHO area 9. I emphasise to the Deputy that I have been to Tiglin a few times now. Nothing can describe the work that is done out there with people who find themselves trapped in drug addiction.

I assure Deputy Curran that I will examine why the funding was withdrawn. The Deputy made a very good point about the fact that many of the people who are in Tiglin are actually from the CHO area so I will continue to follow up on that.

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I am glad the Minister of State replied to this matter because she understands the issue involved and there is no need for me to explain in detail. She has obviously looked into it and been given a note. Perhaps she can clarify one or two points for me.

The Minister of State indicated that an additional grant of €50,000 was also provided by the HSE in 2016. I am advised by Tiglin that it has received correspondence about its business request for additional funding for clients attending the centre and confirming that the €50,000 was approved. Tiglin was told that the delay in the money landing in its account was due to the setting up of the vendor code, which should have been sorted before Christmas. This was in 2015. The correspondence said that, in addition, the 2016 funding would be sorted and that Tiglin would receive a monthly cheque of €4,167 from the HSE. My point is that as far as Tiglin is concerned, there were two previous years. The centre received €50,000 in 2016 and €50,000 in 2015. I want the Minister of State to consider that particular point. Tiglin is saying that it was two years and that the funding has now been switched off. The correspondence from the HSE, which is appalling, also suggests that Tiglin should engage with the HSE addiction services in CHO area 7. The HSE is saying that Tiglin should go to another area for funding. That is appalling, considering that the people CHO area 9 should be funding are from its own area. There is an anomaly in this regard.

I accept what the Minister of State says regarding the fact that there will be a review and that resources will be informed by outcomes, etc., but while the review is going on I ask her to please not turn off the funding. One cannot start and stop rehabilitation services. At the very least, last year's level of funding should be maintained until there is a review and until the Minister of State has decided to make a co-ordinated change. It would not be acceptable for Tiglin or other residential centres to be left in limbo or with reduced funding while such a review is ongoing.

These are the three main points I wish to make: Tiglin got funding of €50,000 in 2015 and 2016; it is not fair that it is being asked to go to CHO area 7 Dublin west to seek funding; and the Minister of State might consider maintaining funding to the centre until the review has been completed and new funding structures been put in place.

Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I again thank the Deputy for raising this matter. He knows that the State has come through a very tough period. As a result of visiting different groups in recent months, I have become very much aware that many of them lost a great deal of funding and that services have been curtailed as a result. I hope that we may be able to reverse the position in this regard in the coming years.

I wish to emphasise that I cannot speak highly enough of Tiglin - I mean this most sincerely - and I have visited the centre on a few occasions. Deputy Curran made the point about the €50,000 being once-off funding. I will raise that issue. If Tiglin got this funding in 2015 and 2016 and there was no emphasis made that this was once-off funding, then this surely indicates that the opposite was the case. I agree with the Deputy about the tone of the letter, especially the part in which it is stated that Tiglin should go elsewhere to look for funding. I do not believe that is acceptable in any way. One of the things I have learnt in the past couple of months is that throughout all of the CHO areas, everybody is responsible for people coming in to a service from that particular area, so they should be able to fund the services to help those people in a place such as Tiglin. I will not say any more but I will certainly examine the matter further in the next day or two and revert to Deputy Curran in respect of it.