Damien English (Meath, Fine Gael)
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Question 87: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs his views on the statements made by a drug treatment consultant, (details supplied) that lack of heroin treatment facilities in the midlands in leading to increased drug overdoses and increased drug dealing by addicts to feed their habits; the way he will address this problem; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7730/07]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy will appreciate that primary responsibility for drug treatment rests with my colleague, Mary Harney T.D., the Minister for Health and Children.

However, I understand that the Health Service Executive (HSE) provides addiction services in nine locations in the Midlands region. The range of services provided includes methadone maintenance, counselling, education/awareness programmes and referral services to community, mental health and hospital services. The HSE also provides intervention programmes for the families of substance misusers.

As of December 2006, there were 8,101 people in receipt of methadone treatment of which, 244, were being treated in the Midlands region. I understand that there are 51 people on the waiting list for treatment — 36 in Athlone and 15 in Portlaoise. The HSE is working to address this waiting list, particularly by endeavouring to encourage GPs into the methadone treatment programme.

The HSE continues to expand the range of options available to individuals in response to needs as they present. Meanwhile, the on-going implementation of the Midland Regional Drug Task Force Action Plan, which I launched last November, will result in some expansion of harm reduction-type initiatives that will complement the mainstream addiction treatment service.

The matter of increased drug dealing by drug misusers is primarily a matter for my colleague, Michael McDowell T.D., Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. He assures me, however, that the Garda Síochána invoke a number of broad strategic responses to address the issue of drug trafficking in all parts of the country and in all its forms. A key to this is working in partnership with statutory, community and voluntary groups to reduce both the supply and demand for drugs in society.

In this context, the Deputy should note that in line with the provisions of the Garda Síochána Act 2005, joint policing committees (JPCs) bringing together representatives from the local authorities, An Garda Síochána, public representatives and representatives of the community and voluntary sectors are being established in each of the 114 local authority administrative areas throughout Ireland.

Four Midland centres, Offaly County Council, Tullamore, Birr and Edenderry Town Councils, are among a number of centres where pilot JPCs have been established. A primary function of these committees is to serve as a forum for consultation, discussion and recommendations on local policing matters and to keep under review levels of crime, disorder and anti-social behaviour, including the patterns and levels of misuse of alcohol and drugs.

Finally, in relation to drug-related deaths, I understand that the HSE is not aware of an increased number of drug overdoses in the Midlands. In line with commitments in the National Drugs Strategy, a National Drug-Related Death Index is being established. This will give us a clearer view of the situation on the ground and will facilitate the development of health and social service responses aimed at reducing the number of such deaths.