Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 216: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the number of people receiving methadone maintenance treatment; the year in which methadone maintenance was first introduced into our treatment services here for heroin misuse; the amount spent on such treatment each year to date since its introduction; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20592/06]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 217: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the number of persons who have begun methadone maintenance treatment nationally in each of the past five years; the number of persons who have successfully completed methadone maintenance programmes and are now completely drug free in each of these years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20593/06]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 218: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if the methadone maintenance programme has been independently evaluated; the main findings of such evaluation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20594/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 216 to 218, inclusive, together.

The Deputy's questions relate to the management and delivery of health and personal social services, which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. Accordingly, my Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have this matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.

In relation to the Deputy's question regarding the issue of evaluation, a Report on the Review of the Methadone Treatment Protocol was published by my Department in May 2005. This report reviews the operation of the methadone protocol, the relevant regulations, and the report of the Methadone Treatment Services Review Group (1997). It also reviews the role and working relationships between the various service providers. A number of significant recommendations are made in the Review — aimed mainly at General Practitioners, Pharmacists, and the Implementation Committee, with an overall objective of acquiring a more structured input from the various stakeholders. The Review noted that the majority of submissions made to it acknowledge the success of the protocol and its implementation.

In addition, the National Advisory Committee on Drugs has commissioned and funded, a national longitudinal study, entitled the 'Research Outcome Study in Ireland' (ROSIE), to evaluate the effectiveness of drug treatment, including methadone, in Ireland from an outcomes' point of view. It is anticipated that twelve month preliminary findings of this study will be published later in the year.