The national drugs strategy provides for the establishment of ten regional drugs task forces. These task forces are mapping out the patterns of drug misuse in their areas and also the range and level of existing services with a view to better co-ordination and addressing gaps in the overall provision. A sum of €500,000 has been provided by my Department in the current year for administrative and technical assistance costs incurred by the task forces in the preparation of their plans.
The work being undertaken will, when complete, feed into the drafting of regional action plans which will then be assessed by the national drugs strategy team. The nature of the drug problems in the task forces' areas and the gaps in existing services will be reflected in the action plans that are being developed. I hope all this work can be completed by early 2005 and that I will then be in a position to bring recommendations on the funding of the plans to the Cabinet committee on social inclusion for approval.
The Deputy will appreciate that the Estimates process for 2005 is ongoing. However, I expect the regional drugs task forces to be in a position to begin the implementation of their plans during 2005.
It is worth noting that the Department of Health and Children, which has overall responsibility for addiction services, reports that overall 7,091 people were receiving methadone treatment at the end of August 2004. This represents a 40% increase over a four-year period.
With regard to the prevalence of drug misuse in the regions, the Deputy should note that a recent report by the Health Research Board showed that the numbers in treatment for heroin use outside the Eastern Regional Health Authority region, as opposed to the overall prevalence rate, have increased significantly. The best available figures on overall levels of use outside the ERHA region are those produced by the National Advisory Committee on Drugs last year, which estimated that there are approximately 12,400 opiate users in Dublin and 2,200 opiate users outside Dublin, although many of these users are in counties Wicklow and Kildare, which are in the ERHA region.
Additional information not given on the floor of the House
In general, treatment services in the regions have followed a similar pattern to that observed in the ERHA region when treatment availability was expanded therein. Existing users are much more likely to come forward and present for treatment as it becomes more available, accessible and attractive. Accordingly, as the services have expanded, so have the numbers in treatment. I am sure the Deputy will agree that this is a positive development as it indicates that services are meeting an existing demand. Tackling the drug problem remains a priority for this Government and it is my intention that significant resources will continue to be targeted at the problem on a countrywide basis.