Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 27 March 2025
368. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Health if she will consider the creation of State-run residential addiction treatment centres; if the money seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau could be used to fund such treatment centres; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14952/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Health Act 2024, as amended, the HSE is responsible for the provision of health and personal social services including residential treatment services. The HSE either provides these services directly or contracts service providers to provide them on its behalf.
Treatment services for substance use are structured within a 4 Tier Model. Many cases requiring intervention, or treatment, are managed within Tier 2 or Tier 3 services within the community. Treatment within Tier 4 will not be necessary or appropriate for all cases. Service users are offered the least intensive intervention appropriate to their need when they present for treatment initially, and where this fails, more intensive interventions are then offered.
According to 2023 National Drug Treatment Reporting System, the total number of cases treated for problem drug use was 13,104. This included 1,795 cases that received inpatient (overnight) treatment. Separately, there were 8,163 cases treated for alcohol as the main problem. Of these, 2,743 received inpatient (overnight) treatment. In total, there were over 4,500 cases of inpatient treatment for drugs or alcohol in 2023.
In 2023, an additional €1.8 million was made available for Tier 4 residential addiction treatment services for the purchase of additional treatment episodes across the country. This will benefit individuals requiring residential treatment.
The number of residential beds available for drug treatment services in 2023 was 1,036. The demand for the creation of additional residential treatment services can be considered under the HSE capital plan.
The Department of Justice has advised that the creation of the Community Safety Innovation Fund was announced in 2021 to reinvest proceeds of crime funds returned to the exchequer by the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) back into communities, to fund innovative local projects aimed at building stronger, safer communities. The Fund has since been renamed the Community Safety Fund (CSF). The fund has a value of €4 million for 2025.
Investing this money back into the community is a tangible way of showing that there can be a direct link between the activities of law enforcement and building stronger, safer communities. The CSF encourages and supports the development of ways in which to improve community safety from those people who best understand the needs in their locality.
I am further advised that the themes of last year’s successful applicants included projects aimed at addressing anti-social behaviour, domestic violence, drug-related intimidation, safety on public transport, social exclusion, youth programmes, prison post-release support and more.
I am committed to a health-led response to drug addiction. I am currently developing a new national drugs strategy, informed by the recommendations of the Citizens Assembly on Drug Use. The new strategy will include measures to enhance access to, and the delivery, of drug services in the community, including residential treatment services.
