asked the Minister for Health the number of heroin addicts registered with Jervis Street Drug Unit for each of the years 1981 to 1987 inclusive; and the approximate number of addicts in (a) Dublin and (b) the State.
Written Answers. - Drug Addict Statistics.
242.
Because of the nature of the drug problem it is very difficult to compile reliable statistics on the number of persons addicted to drugs. We, in Ireland, are not unique in this respect as most other countries are faced with the same problem.
The Drugs Advisory and Treatment Centre in Jervis Street does not operate a register of addicts as such. A confidential record of those patients who have attended the centre is kept for the centre's own information.
I should mention that the National Co-ordinating Committee on Drug Abuse has examined the need to establish a register of addicts but the general view of the committee was that a sufficiently strong case does not exist to justify the establishment of such a register. The committee is aware that such a register does exist in the United Kingdom but even the Home Office, who maintain the register there, recognise that there are serious shortcomings in it. However, our co-ordinating committee are keeping the matter under review.
I am setting out, in table form, the statistics available in relation to the total number of patients who presented for treatment of drug abuse at the Drugs Advisory and Treatment Centre for the years 1981-86, together with details of those who were treated for heroin abuse. The figures for 1987 would not be available yet.
|
Number of Patients |
Number abusing heroin |
|
|
1981 |
800 |
427 |
|
1982 |
1307 |
772 |
|
1983 |
1514 |
1006 |
|
1984 |
1454 |
969 |
|
1985 |
1424 |
798 |
|
1986 |
1331 |
646 |
Of the 1,331 patients who attended the centre in 1986, 1,187 were residing in Dublin city and county.
We would estimate that there are approximately 4,000 hard drug addicts in this country, with the vast majority located in the Dublin area. This estimate is based on information obtained from both the Drugs Advisory and Treatment Centre in Jervis Street and the Garda Síochána. One must bear in mind that research has shown that there can be a three to four year time lag between first contact with hard drugs and first contact with treatment services. However, we are doing our utmost to ensure that abusers come into contact with the treatment services much sooner, particularly through the work of community addiction counsellors in the Eastern Health Board area.