Thomas Gould
Question:514. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health if a timeline has been provided for the expansion of attendance at addiction recovery group meetings. [22654/21]
View answerWednesday, 5 May 2021
Questions (514, 515)
Thomas Gould
Question:515. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health if he will seek public health advice on the expansion of attendance at addiction recovery group meetings given the significant impact Covid-19 has had on addiction. [22655/21]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 514 and 515 together.
The Covid-19 pandemic continues to have a major impact in Ireland and globally. Progress has been made on suppressing the virus due to the huge effort of our citizens. By working together, the Irish people have saved lives and limited the impact of the disease. We all must continue to do everything possible to avoid the virus spreading.
The restrictions on social interaction, the requirement for self-isolation and the restructuring of services, can be particularly difficult for people who use drugs or are dependent on alcohol.
The Department of Health is committed to the safe resumption of drug and alcohol services, including community-based services, residential programmes and recovery support groups.
The Department has developed guidance for drug and alcohol support groups and treatment programmes in recognition of their important role in helping individuals to build recovery capital and to avoid relapse into harmful patterns of substance use. The guidance applies at all levels of the national framework for living with Covid-19.
The guidance on facilities and attendance at support groups and programmes is as follows:
- Facilities used to host groups and programmes should not be shared with other users, where possible.
- There should be separate entry and exit points, management of queues to avoid congestion and thorough cleaning of rooms and toilets before and after use.
- Facilities should be airy and well ventilated.
- The maximum number of participants is 15 people (including leaders). The specific number should be determined by the capacity of the venue to ensure 2 metres social distance and should be adjusted accordingly in smaller venues.
- At high levels of transmission, it is recommended that the number of participants is reduced.
- Face coverings should be worn indoors at all times.
- Support groups and programmes should have a maximum duration of 90 minutes and should be shortened when the risk of transmission is high.
- Leaders or participants should only attend one group or programme.
- People in residential treatment settings should not attend external support groups at this time.
Recently, the Government decided to move ahead with the Recovery and Resilience: The Path Ahead plan. We are now in the early stages of the Recovery phase of the pandemic. The National Vaccination Programme is well advanced and thanks to the extraordinary efforts of the Irish people, there has been a marked improvement in the status of the virus in the community.
The decision is based on advice from the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET), that a cautious and gradual phased reopening over May and June, with an emphasis on outdoor activity and a moderate increase in social contact, can be considered low to medium risk. NPHET has advised that there is scope to ease a range of public health measures in this manner with sufficient time between any easing of measures to assess the impact.
This allows us to continue through the Recovery phase, focusing on what is safest and generates the most benefit and with a focus on outdoors activities – both social and economic. Think safe, think outdoors – this must be our theme for the Summer of 2021.
I welcome the reopening of society from May onwards. However, indoor events remain higher risk. I would advise support groups to continue to proceed with caution in line with the latest guidance. A review of the guidance can take place when restrictions on indoor events are lifted in due course.
Question No. 515 answered with Question No. 514.