Vol. 559 No. 3
123 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Health and Children the growth in the number of health professionals engaged in the Government's alcohol abuse services and its drug abuse treatment; and the way in which these numbers and the corresponding budgets have developed over the years 2001 to 2003, inclusive. [26218/02]
Additional funding of €9.773 million was provided by my Department for drug misuse treatment services in 2001. In 2002 my Department provided additional funding of €8.291 to these services.
Alcohol related problems still constitute almost one third of admissions to psychiatric hospitals despite the enhanced provision of community based alcohol treatment services in recent years.
The number of health professionals professionally engaged in drug and alcohol treatment services is not routinely available to my Department as many of these staff are engaged in a wider range of health service provisions such as counselling and health promotion generally. Staff numbers in these areas have increased in line with the additional funding that has been made available.
