TD CALLS FOR TARGET TO REDUCE HEROIN DEATH TOLL

No targets have been set under the National Drugs Strategy (NDS) 2001-2008
to minimise the harm done by addicts who continue to put themselves at risk
through drug abuse, the Dail heard.

The rate of HIV transmission through intravenous drug abuse continued to
rise as did the incidence of hepatitis C, Mr Joe Higgins (Socialist) told
the House. No reduction target had been set in either case.

"There should be a target to reduce deaths caused by heroin, particularly
from overdosing, of which there were about 86 last year." This was a
dramatic statistic for a small country and the deaths were confined to a
relatively small area, he said.

The NDS, launched last month, by the Cabinet committee on social inclusion,
was the first occasion in which all elements of drugs policy in Ireland had
been brought together in a single framework, the Minister of State with
responisbility for the National Drugs Strategy team, Mr Eoin Ryan said.

He was answering questions about the Cabinet committee on social inclusion
on behalf of the Taoiseach.

The committee had met five times to date this year and was scheduled to
meet again on July 26th. A further four meetings were planned before the
end of 2001. The committee had approved 11 new local drugs task force
action plans and allocated pounds 6.9 million to projects. It has also
approved pounds 3.7 million for 19 projects under the special premises
initiative for task force areas. The committee had approved over pounds
46 million under the "young peoples facilities and services fund" since it
was established in 1998, the Minister said, which included funding for 97
facility projects and 168 service projects.

"The primary focus of the fund is on local drug task force areas and
selected urban areas - Galway, Limerick, south Cork city, Waterford and
Carlow - where a serious drug problem exists or has the potential to develop."

At present there were approximately 13,500 addicts, some of whom did not
want treatment. In response to Mr Jim Mitchell (FG), the Minister said 40
per cent of those on the heroin substitute, methadone, were "back to work"
and over 70 per cent were no longer on heroin. There was much criticism of
methadone, he said. A range of options was needed for "those who present
for treatment".

The Minister agreed with Mr Tony Gregory (Independent) that it was "very
disturbing" when people on treatment were "sanctioned" by having their
methadone entitlement summarily reduced.