Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 29 January 2015
150. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if he will provide data on the number of drug users who are still drug free one year, two years, three years, fours year and five years, respectively, after completing a drug recovery programme. [4224/15]
View answerA core objective of the National Drugs Strategy is to develop a national treatment and rehabilitation service that provides drug free and harm reduction approaches for problem substance users and to encourage problem substance users to engage with, and avail of, such services. In the area of treatment and rehabilitation, the focus is on providing opportunities for people to progress from drug dependence to a drug-free life where that is achievable.
The HSE Central Treatment List of persons on methadone substitution treatment and the National Drug Treatment Reporting System, which is administered by the Health Research Board, record certain information when a person ceases treatment, including the reason for leaving treatment.
The information sought by the Deputy is not generally collected by drug treatment services, primarily due to difficulties in tracking people once they leave treatment. In addition, it would be necessary for a person to provide consent at the time of leaving treatment in order to be followed up for the purposes of monitoring progression after completing a drug recovery programme.
