Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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356. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to cut funding for addiction services in counties Kildare and Wicklow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27628/18]

Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Department of Health coordinates the strategic response to drug and alcohol problems, as set out Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery - a health led response to drug and alcohol use in Ireland 2017-2025.  An objective of the strategy is to attain better health and social outcomes for people who experience harm from substance misuse and to meet their recovery and rehabilitation needs.

Ensuring timely access to health and social care services and extending the range of treatment options available is integral to achieving better outcomes. To this end, the strategy commits to expanding the availability and geographical spread of relevant quality drug and alcohol services and improving the range of services available, based on identified need.

As the matter raised by the Deputy in relation to funding for addiction services in counties Kildare and Wicklow is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy.