Drug Treatment Programmes

Tuesday, 18 February 2014

Questions (391)

Maureen O'Sullivan

Question:

391. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will explain the discrepancies in figures provided on the number of drug rehabilitation T-coded participants on community employment schemes in three different parliamentary question replies from her Department and which range between 578 and 835 participants (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7919/14]

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Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

When Drug Rehabilitation Projects transferred into the Department of Social Protection in January 2012 a review was undertaken on the reporting system and a number of weaknesses were identified. A new reporting system was introduced in January 2012 for drug rehabilitation schemes based on designated ring-fenced places. Ring-fenced places are sub-divided into two categories for the purposes of recording: referred drug rehabilitation clients and CE support workers.

There were some discrepancies in how data on drug rehabilitation places was inputted in the past, the number 578 ring-fenced places for January 2012 is a more accurate representation.

This new system is now used as the basis for reporting since 2012. Table 1 details the number of ring-fenced drug rehabilitation places for referred clients and support workers for the years 2012 and 2013.

Table 1: Ring-fenced Drug Rehabilitation Places: 2012, 2013

Year	Referred Clients	Support Workers	Total
2012	-	-	-
January	504	74	578
February	495	75	570
March	582	154	736
April	622	157	779
May	598	164	762
June	610	159	769
July	598	156	754
August	582	153	735
September	558	152	710
October	578	161	739
November	642	174	816
December	655	169	824
2013	-	-	-
January	662	168	830
February	664	159	823
March	676	159	835
April	700	149	849
May	723	157	880
June	737	158	895
July	737	155	892
August	735	151	886
September	733	160	893
October	735	169	904
November	759	163	922
December	790	161	951

DSP CSM IT Extracts