Vol. 427 No. 7
9 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Health his views on a recent report in the Irish Medical Times (details supplied) that heroin abuse showed a marked increase in 1991/92, and that illicit opiates such as MST and methadone appear to be widely available; the action, if any, he is taking; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
26 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Health his views on a recent report (details supplied) that heroin abuse showed a marked increase in 1991 and 1992; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
It is proposed to take Questions Nos. 9 and 26 together.
The report to which the Deputy refers was included in the Irish Medical Times edition of 5 February 1993. Since that date a number of meetings have been held by officials of my Department with officials of the Eastern Health Board, representatives of the Department of Justice, an Garda Síochána, Customs and Excise and the authors of the report.
The report was also considered by the National Co-ordinating Committee on Drug Abuse, under the chairmanship of my colleague, Minister of State, Deputy Willie O'Dea, on 18 February 1993.
At these meetings there was agreement that while the figures, which relate to an increase in the number of people attending for treatment, do not necessarily reflect an increase in the availability of the substances in question there was no room for complacency. On the supply side, my colleague, the Minister for Justice, Deputy Geoghegan-Quinn, advised the Deputy on 17 February that she had been informed by the Garda authorities that there is no evidence to suggest any significant increase in heroin in the country. Specific measures have been taken by both the Garda and the Customs authorities which have resulted in an increase in the number of drug seizures and in the number of detections of drug related offences. Both authorities will continue to develop surveillance and other demand reduction strategies.
On the demand side, in addition to the significant developments which are taking place in the treatment services, I have directed that a Protocol on the prescribing and dispensing of methadone be finalised and circulated as a matter of urgency and that all doctors be advised immediately of the inappropriateness of morphine sulphate for the treatment of drug abusers.
Does the Minister not accept that his colleague, the Minister for Justice, indicated there was an increase in heroin seizures in 1992? Does he accept, given the increased number of young people treated in 1992 for addiction to heroin, morphine and methadone, that there is a serious health problem related to the growing availability of hard drugs and opiates? Does he further accept that the numbers attending drug treatment centres for addiction to methadone was five times greater in 1992 than in 1991 and that the huge increase in the use of MST morphine tablets, which are crushed and injected, is leading to major medical problems, including the increased risk of HIV transmission and the spread of the hepatitis C virus? Does he accept that all of this constitutes a serious health emergency, which is not getting the necessary resources? Can he indicate the additional personnel and resources he intends to make available in response to this emergency rather than that which is simply part of an ongoing inadequate programme?
I am aware of the Deputy's concern and I have asked my colleague, the Minister for Justice, Deputy Geoghegan-Quinn, to keep me briefed. Indeed, I have details of the increase in seizures and detections to which the Deputy referred. My Department is in contact with the sole suppliers of methadone to this country with a view to ascertaining the destination of their supplies to see whether it can be brought under more rigid control. There are now three treatment centres offering services to drug abusers — the drug treatment centre in Trinity Court and satellite clinics operated by the Eastern Health Board at Baggot Street and Cherry Orchard in Ballyfermot. A third satellite clinic, located in the north inner city at Amiens Street, is about to open. I will bear in mind the concerns of the Deputy with a view to improving further the services to these people.
Does the Minister not accept that the centre which is about to open in the north inner city has been planned for a long number of years and bears no relation whatever to the increased availability and the increased addiction to which I have referred? Has the Minister any indication from where the huge quantity of morphine tablets and methadone is coming and whether much of it is obtained by prescription from individual doctors? Can he indicate whether any action is being taken by his Department against individual doctors? Finally, may I ask the Minister——
The Deputy must bring finality to this question. The time for dealing with Priority Questions is quite exhausted.
Does the Minister accept that this serious health problem is concentrated in very poor areas and that if there was a fraction of the problem in more affluent areas of the city the resources and the personnel I am seeking would be readily made available?
I do not accept that simply because of the location of these problems there is any lack of urgency. I have told the Deputy in the House that I regard it as a very serious matter and resources are being put in place to ensure that proper facilities are available for drug abusers. I have outlined already what is being done in relation to methadone. I would also inform the Deputy that an expert group has been established to produce a Protocol on methadone prescribing. I have asked that that Protocol be advanced and I expect to have it shortly. I will watch carefully the sources of legal drugs available on the streets and see what improvements can be made.
Let us now come to deal with other questions to the same Minister. Question No. 10 in the name of Deputy Nora Owen.
