Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Suboxone, yes. My apologies. An expert group recommended that Suboxone be introduced, but we need a change in legislation first.Amending legislation will be necessary to allow it to be used. There are advantages in using the product as opposed to methadone. It has been tested and there is a reduced risk of misuse, overdose and death. It is unlikely to be diverted as a street drug and it reduces the top-up use of heroin. My figures are from 2012, when the latest data on drug related deaths implicated methadone in 86 deaths, be it alone or with another drug. They also noted that 68% of those who died in similar circumstances in 2011 accessed diverted methadone illegally, as they were not in treatment at the time. While methadone has been effective, there comes a time to consider its alternatives. Will amending legislation be introduced in 2015 and is it likely to be in place during this Government's lifetime?

The Minister of State has outlined what he intends to do in terms of supervision and access to facilities. These are welcome developments, but we must always consider new ways of dealing with this matter. We should highlight the importance of education, be it in schools, youth clubs or sport clubs, in outlining the dangers involved in using any type of illicit drug.