Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

789. To ask the Minister for Health if he will increase the availability of drug testing of legally prohibited drugs as part of an overall strategy of harm reduction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50854/21]

Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The National Drugs Strategy, Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery, ‘A health-led response to drug and alcohol use in Ireland 2017-2025’, sets out a health-led approach to drug use. Strengthening harm reduction responses to high-risk drug use is an action within the strategy. The Programme for Government also commits to increase and support drug testing services, particularly at festivals.

The HSE, in conjunction with the Dept of Health, established a Working Group to review evidence in relation to drug trends and health responses applicable to the night-time economy and drug checking provision to help inform recommendations and to develop implementation plans to address these areas. The group was comprised of stakeholders from across the sector, which was intentionally broad in order to reflect the reality that this issue impacts on a number of Departments, agencies and drug user groups in Ireland. An Garda Síochána and Forensic Science Ireland attended meetings in an advisory capacity.

The report of the Working Group was published in September. It contains a series of recommendations which will inform future direction in this area, one of which includes a pilot project to implement and evaluate drug monitoring strategies through a ‘back of house’ system.

This system involves festival attendees discard of substances in a secure location for analysis. Following analysis on compounds, risk communication strategies can be implemented in the event of substances appearing that pose an extra threat to life. This would also provide market surveillance and may provide health benefits that could improve public health and harm minimisation responses.

The Working Group’s report states that drug checking initiatives need to be part of a holistic process, embedded within a tailored structure so that analysis is not conducted in isolation and is coupled with other appropriate harm reduction measures such as brief interventions, counselling, onward referral, data gathering exercises and on-going drug market monitoring for health services. When implemented as part of a wider structure, drug analysis can engage with hard-to-reach groups, identify particularly dangerous substances and support people who use drugs to reduce the harms to their health.

In line with the recommendations in the working group report, I secured additional funding to expand harm reduction responses to high-risk drug use associated with the night-time economy in Budget 2022.

As some of its recommendations pertain to a variety of Government Departments and State agencies, I will engage with the Minister for Justice and Equality and the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media to consider the next steps.