Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 28 October 2004
79 Mr. O’Dowd asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the amount of money which has been allocated or spent on treatment services for cocaine abuse here from 2002 to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22690/04]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, the provision of drug treatment services is the statutory responsibility of the health boards.
To address the problem of drug misuse, health boards provide a wide range of drug addiction services including outreach, education, treatment, rehabilitation and community welfare in line with the actions set out in the National Drugs Strategy 2001-2008. Furthermore, the health boards fund and co-ordinate a broad range of services provided by voluntary and community sector organisations. Additional annual funding provided to health boards for drug treatment services since 1997 amounts to €52 million. This funding has allowed for the employment of over 730 staff in the drug addiction services and for the expansion of services. Since 2002 alone an additional €9.721 million has been allocated to health boards. Funding is provided for the treatment of all drug users abusing all types of drugs and is not broken down by a specific type of drug. In the Eastern Regional Authority, ERHA, there are currently 59 drug treatment locations. This is an increase of 47 locations since 1996. Outside the ERHA, seven treatment clinics have been established.
The addiction services in the ERHA provide a range of services to those presenting with problem cocaine use. The treatment methodologies utilised for those with primary cocaine addiction are evidence based and are in line with best practice internationally. The services are focused on psychological support, counselling interventions and referral to appropriate residential services.
I am also advised that only a small number of individuals are presenting for treatment for cocaine misuse alone, the majority of service users presenting with problem cocaine use are individuals involved in poly drug misuse, particularly opiate misuse, and their cocaine use is treated in the context of their overall treatment plan.
In addition to the drug treatment services outlined above, a provocative and targeted multi-media advertising campaign to help correct misinformation about recreational cocaine use has been launched earlier this month as part of the national drugs awareness campaign. The campaign is managed by the health promotion unit in my Department in conjunction with the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and Dun Laoghaire Rathdown local drugs task force.
The core message of this phase of the national campaign is, "There is no fairytale ending with cocaine", and it uses the device of nursery rhyme characters such as Jack and Jill and Georgie Porgie to illustrate the stark facts about the psychological, physical, sexual and financial problems that can arise from using cocaine as a recreational drug. The campaign is aimed at 18 to 35 year olds and is designed to disprove some of the common urban myths surrounding cocaine use.
The campaign features three individual advertisements placed in the restrooms of entertainment venues such as pubs and clubs throughout Ireland and is supported by print advertisements in selected national newspapers and magazines, beer mats and free postcards. The campaign will run for six months including over the Christmas party season. The campaign is also supported by a special "micro-site" on cocaine on a website which explains in detail the negative effects of cocaine use. Health boards will continue to work to develop new initiatives to respond to the cocaine problem.
