Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I take on board the strongly held views of Senator Colm Burke, particularly with regard to 60% funding from the HSE. Obviously there are internal issues going on between Cuan Mhuire and the HSE but I will relay the Senator's concerns to the Minister of State. As I said earlier, the HSE is discussing this option with Cuan Mhuire as part of a wider review and the Minister of State is optimistic that the outcome of that review will be positive.

As Senator Colm Burke knows, addiction is a particular problem for people who are homeless. They face additional challenges in accessing health services and the lack of appropriate accommodation can undermine the effectiveness of healthcare interventions. Implementing the national drugs strategy continues to be a priority for this Government and within the envelope of resources available in budget 2019 for health services, the Minister of State is committed to prioritising services for homeless people who are facing addiction issues.

I will relay the Senator's concerns to the Minister of State and hopefully there will be some movement on the issue soon.