Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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185. To ask the Minister for Health the efforts taken to reduce opiate consumption in Cork city. [17012/14]

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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186. To ask the Minister for Health the level of funding allocated to reduce opiate consumption in Cork city during each of the past five years. [17013/14]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 185 and 186 together.

The National Drugs Strategy sets out drugs policy in Ireland for the period up to 2016. Drugs policy encompasses five pillars - supply reduction, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and research and clear actions are in place for implementation. I am satisfied that good progress is being made across the actions of the Strategy, with the involvement of the statutory, voluntary and community sectors, and that emerging issues and threats around problem drug use are being addressed in a timely and effective manner.

The HSE provides opioid substitution (mainly methadone) in a number of treatment settings to meet the needs of individual drug users.

These settings include:

- primary care through GPs and community pharmacies;

- satellite clinics that facilitate opioid substitution provision through community pharmacies;

- treatment centres where opioid substitution treatment is dispensed on site; and

- residential rehabilitation facilities. 

As the issues raised by the Deputy are service matters they have been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.