Ruairí Ó Murchú
Question:1030. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Health if there are plans to increase the number of rehabilitation centres in the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14770/22]
View answerTuesday, 22 March 2022
Questions (1030)
Written answers
The Health Research Board reports annually on the number of cases treated for problem drug and alcohol use. In 2019, there were 10,666 cases treated for problem drug use and 7,546 cases treated for problem alcohol use. These data include 1,571 inpatient drug treatment cases, where the client attending the service stays overnight, e.g., in-patient detoxification, therapeutic communities, respite and step down, and 2,806 inpatient alcohol treatment cases.
In 2021, The Department of Health provided an additional €3.3 million for residential treatment services. Altogether, this funding will provide an additional 475 treatment episodes.
This funding includes an additional 100 stabilisation treatment episodes as part of the North East Inner-City initiative, a further 150 episodes nationally in tier 4 residential treatment services and 100 treatment episodes in a residential step-up treatment facility for CHOs 3, 4 and 5. In addition, over €1.3 million is being provided for the establishment of a 20-bed residential therapeutic community for expectant women and women with children in the mid-west region, which will cater for 125 episodes per annum.
Further proposals to increase the provision of addiction treatment episodes will be considered in the context of the 2023 Estimates process.