Gay Mitchell
Ceist:140 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Health and Children the extent of methadone treatment waiting lists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3789/02]
Vol. 547 No. 4
140 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Health and Children the extent of methadone treatment waiting lists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3789/02]
The provision of drug treatment services is the statutory responsibility of the health boards. However, I have been informed that at the end of December 2001 the number of people awaiting methadone treatment in the Eastern Regional Health Authority region was 428. Currently in centres outside the eastern region there are 38 people on waiting lists for methadone treatment. At the end of December 2001 there was a total of 5,865 people on the central treatment list, an increase of more than 800 on the December 2000 figure.
A new national drugs strategy was published by the Taoiseach in May of last year which contains specific targets and 100 actions. One target of the national drugs strategy is that drug misusers have immediate access to professional assessment and counselling, followed by commencement of treatment as deemed appropriate, not later than one month after assessment.