Drug Treatment Programmes Funding

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 December 2012

Wednesday, 19 December 2012

Questions (78)

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

Question:

78. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Health if he will allocate €100,000 to the mother and child facility at Coolmine Therapeutic Community, Dublin, in order that 20 young women, who have overcome their addiction and urgently need therapeutic care, can enter the residential therapy with their babies; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that if they cannot get the therapy the majority of them will relapse; his views on whether this will cost the health and prison services three times the budget for delivering therapy to these addicts later in their lives and that statistics show that those who relapse are at serious risk of dying; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56532/12]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

Coolmine Therapeutic Community receives funding from my Department and the HSE to provide a range of services, including a specific residential programme targeting women, many of whom are mothers. Reflecting the Government's ongoing commitment to the National Drugs Strategy, I have recently approved an additional €100,000 in funding to enable the facility to provide a creche service. This will allow mothers to keep their children with them during residential treatment and remove potential barriers for women who wish to access this service.