Ruairí Quinn
Question:24 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of heroin addicts receiving treatment within the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11044/98]
Written Answers. - Drug Treatment Services.
The most recent year for which statistics are available on all persons being treated for opiate misuse is 1996, where the Health Research Board, in its National Report for Treated Drug Misuse, reported that of the total of 4,865 drug misusers being treated nationally, 3,827 cases — 79 per cent were opiate misusers. At present there are 3,150 persons listed on the central methadone treatment list. This represents the total number of people being treated with methadone for opiate addition through Eastern Health Board clinics and by general practitioners.
The majority of opiate misusers reside in the Eastern Health Board area. As well as methadone treatment other persons would be receiving detoxification and drug-free treatment at Eastern Health Board centres and centres run by voluntary agencies and community groups and I have asked the Eastern Health Board to provide me with details of the total number of people being treated in the various centres, which I will then forward to the Deputy.