Written answers

Tuesday, 24 April 2007

Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs

Drug Abuse

11:00 pm

Photo of Seán CroweSeán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 54: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the steps he will take to address the growing heroin problem in Ballyfermot, Dublin, and the lack of a strategy to address the rehabilitative needs of addicts or recovering addicts in the Dublin 10 area. [14965/07]

Photo of Noel AhernNoel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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To date, under the National Drugs Strategy, my Department has made substantial funding available to Ballyfermot Local Drugs Task Force (LDTF) and this will continue in 2007, with nearly €1.5m being allocated. It is estimated that in the region of 40% of the projects being supported by the Task Force have a rehabilitative focus, much of this relating to heroin.

In total, the Ballyfermot area has received nearly €17m to address the problems of drugs misuse through the LDTF process and the Young People's Facilities and Services Fund.

In this context, I am delighted to inform the Deputy that I have in recent days approved expenditure of €500,000 under the Premises Initiative towards the refurbishment of the premises of Ballyfermot STAR Education & Training Programme (Realt Nua), located in Park West Industrial Estate. Currently Ballyfermot STAR organises a Community Employment Education and Training Programme for 25 people in recovery from drug misuse from the Dublin 10 and Chapelizod catchment areas. With the new capital funding, the project will be in a position to cater for an extra 25 people. This will involve people from Ballyfermot who are not, as yet, on a methadone treatment programme.

I understand that the Addiction Services of the HSE are currently planning the development of an Addiction Centre to provide a range of services to the communities of Clondalkin and Lucan. This service will address waiting lists in Ballyfermot by reducing the numbers of people from Clondalkin who are currently in receipt of treatment in Ballyfermot. In addition to this, I understand that the Addiction Services are in negotiation with two community projects in Ballyfermot for the provision of two prescribing clinics with a view to addressing the waiting lists in the shorter term, while the Clondalkin facility is under construction.

The Deputy should also note that the Report of the Working Group on Drug Rehabilitation is expected to be published in the next few weeks. The key recommendations focus on providing a continuum of care for clients through planned progression paths for each problem drug user, while ensuring that quality standards are achieved in the services provided. The Report also looks at the wider supports needed by recovering problem drug users in areas such as involvement in community employment schemes and support with progression to employment, educational supports, housing and childcare, while recognising the need to involve the families of problem drug users in the process.

Finally, with regard to the extent and trends in problem drug use, comprehensive data will start to become available from the second all-island Drug Prevalence Survey, the fieldwork for which is nearing completion, in the latter part of this year. With respect to heroin misuse in particular, a further national study is being commissioned by the National Advisory Committee on Drugs and it is expected that the results of this will be available early in 2008. These surveys will give us a much clearer view of current drug misuse in Ireland.

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