25 Mar 2015, 16:10
The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children will tomorrow consider the potential benefits of recovery models for those addicted to illegal drugs.
25 March 2015
Professor Joe Barry, Chair of Population Health Medicine at Trinity College Dublin and Gerry McAleenan, Head of Services at Soilse, will address the Committee. Soilse is HSE’s Addiction Rehabilitation Service, based in Dublin city centre.
Tom O'Brien, Addiction Services Manager at the HSE and Sonya Dillon, Project Worker at Soilse, will also be in attendance.
Committee Chairman, Jerry Buttimer TD says: “Drug abuse and addiction strikes at the heart of families and communities in cities, towns and villages the length and breadth of the country. A priority issue for this Committee, we look forward to tomorrow’s discussion on the range of recovery models available, particularly for people addicted to opiates. With the current National Drugs Strategy due to end in 2016, witnesses tomorrow are expected to outline why recovery models should be granted a much higher profile in any new strategy.
“The Committee will gain from the insights of Prof Joe Barry of TCD, who will outline a paper on promoting recovery within drug services in Ireland, particularly for those addicted to opiates. We also look forward to hearing from Soilse, who work to provide a comprehensive, holistic addiction rehabilitation service in Dublin.”
Following this session, the Committee continue its series of public hearings on the Heads of the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill when it meets with a range of stakeholders and experts at 11:15am.
The following individuals will appear before the Committee:
- Professor Joe Barry - Chair of Population Health Medicine, Trinity College Dublin
- Padraig Cribben - Chief Executive, Vintners' Federation of Ireland
- Suzanne Costello - CEO, Alcohol Action Ireland
- Evelyn Jones - Chairperson, National Off-Licence Association
- Ross MacMathúna - Director, Alcohol Beverage Federation of Ireland
- Donall O'Keeffe - CEO, Licensed Vintners' Association
The Bill sets out to provide for health labelling of alcohol products; minimum unit pricing; regulation of marketing and advertising of alcohol, and enforcement powers for Environmental Health Officers.
Deputy Buttimer TD continues: “As legislators with the responsibility in this area, it is important that we engage carefully with the wider public to listen to a broad spectrum of views on the draft legislation on curbing alcohol. Tomorrow’s meeting – the fourth in this series on pre-legislative scrutiny - will help further inform the Committee’s consideration of the draft legislation, through engagement with a diverse range of perspectives.”
The meeting will commence at 9:30 am tomorrow Thursday 26 March in Committee Room 2, LH 2000.
Committee proceedings can be followed live here.
Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the move, through the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.
Media enquiries to:
Paul Hand,
Communications Unit,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2
P: +3531 618 4484
M: +353 87 694 9926
paul.hand@oireachtas.ie
Committee Membership:
Deputies: Jerry Buttimer (Chair), Catherine Byrne, Ciara Conway (Vice-Chair), Regina Doherty, Robert Dowds, Peter M Fitzpatrick, Seamus Healy, Billy Kelleher, Eamonn Maloney, Clare Daly, Sandra McLellan, Dan Neville, Mary Mitchell O’Connor, Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin and Robert Troy
Senators: Colm Burke, John Crown, John Gilroy, Imelda Henry, Marc Mac Sharry and Jillian Van Turnhout