Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 June 2024
451. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Health the steps being taken to tackle the rising numbers of drug related deaths; if he is aware that Ireland topped the EU table for drug deaths with more than four times the average number of fatalities according to the European drug report 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26978/24]
View answerMonitoring of drug induced and drug related deaths is an important objective of the National Drug Strategy and the 409 drug related deaths reported in 2020 (the latest data available) is a serious public health concern. Care should be taken when commenting on these data given the age of the data (four year ago) and the possible impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on drug deaths in that year.
The National Drug-Related Deaths Index (NDRDI) is the national epidemiological database on drug and alcohol induced deaths (poisonings) and indirect deaths among people with a lifetime history of using drugs (non-poisonings or drug related deaths) and/or were alcohol dependent, in Ireland. The NDRDI is acknowledged in Europe as one of the best examples of a Special Register for drug-related deaths due to its robust methodology.
Other EU member states used different methodologies to measure drug-related deaths. The EU Drugs Agency urges caution regarding comparisons of drug deaths between countries as methodological differences in how data is collected must be considered when comparing jurisdictions. Furthermore, it should be noted that the number of drug deaths for Ireland represents 5 percent of the total number of deaths for all the EU member states, based on the data published by the EU Drugs Agency.
Other factors to take into account are the type of drugs used in a country, and the age and gender profile of those affected. For example, Ireland has more drug induced deaths involve opioids, who also tend to be an older population.
It is a strategic priority under the National Drugs Strategy to enhance access to, and the delivery of, drug services in the community. Additional investment is increasing the availability of drug services for those who need them.
Over €160 million a year is allocated for the provision of addiction services. Over the last four years, a particular emphasis has been placed on the provision of medication to be used in Opioid Substitution Therapy. HSE Addiction services are now providing Opioid Substitution Therapy to almost 1000 more individuals than at the end of January 2020.
The National Drug Treatment Reporting System (NDTRS) for 2023, published by the Health Research Board, shows there were 13,104 cases of treatment in 2023, an increase of a third (3,400) compared to 2020. This demonstrates that the increased investment under the National Drugs Strategy has improved access and availability of treatment for people dealing with addiction issues.
It is a priority for me to reduce drug-related harms, including premature death. Each death represents a tragic story for the individual, their family and local community. The data are a reminder of the social cost of problematic drug use and are a call to intensify actions to reduce the harm.
