asked the Minister for Health if he has any plans to help drug abusers.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Drug Addiction Treatment.
61.
Persons suffering from drug addiction are treated within the ambit of the general psychiatric services, both on an in-patient and out-patient basis in district mental hospitals and in private mental hospitals.
Jervis Street Hospital, in co-operation with the Eastern Health Board, operates an out-patient clinic and advisory service at the hospital. Approval has also been given to the provision of an in-patient unit at the hospital to deal with emergencies, mainly cases of overdosage.
The Eastern Health Board provide services on an out-patient basis at Ushers Island and plan to provide 11 beds in hostel type accommodation. The board also provide services on a residential basis in a unit in the grounds of the Central Mental Hospital, Dundrum. The provision of a new 24-bed unit at this centre for disturbed adolescents, including drug abusers, has been approved in principle and the Eastern Health Board have been asked to prepare detailed proposals in the matter.
In addition, services provided by voluntary bodies are financially or otherwise assisted by the Eastern Health Board.