Vol. 496 No. 3
385 Mr. P. Carey asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if it has been drawn to the attention of the Garda that methadone is still leaking onto the streets in Dublin despite the recent introduction of a strict protocol by the Eastern Health Board for the prescription and dispensing of methadone; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22817/98]
My colleague the Minister for Health and Children signed the Misuse of Drugs (Supervision of Prescription and Supply of Methadone) Regulations, 1998, on 1 July 1998. The second phase of the implementation of these regulations and of the recommendations contained in the report of the Methadone Treatment Services Review Group came into operation on 1 October 1998. Although the new methadone treatment services are only five weeks in operation, the Garda has informed me that there appears to be a noticeable decrease in the illegal sale of methadone on the streets.
