EHB DETERMINED TO SET UP FIVE MORE CLINICS

The Eastern Health Board is to press ahead with its plans to set up
community-based treatment clinics for drug addicts at a number of key
locations, despite objections from residents in some areas.

The board has confirmed that new clinics will be operating at five new
further locations in its district by the end of the year. The areas to be
provided with services are Crumlin, Loughlinstown, Finglas, Cabra and
Arklow.

The board's chief executive, Mr Pat McLoughlin, appealed at the weekend to
local communities where there are drug-abusers to support the setting up of
drug treatment services in their areas.

He said major progress had been made in establishing such centres at 50
locations across Counties Dublin, Wicklow and Kildare, but further
facilities were required.

He was speaking at a conference on "The GP and the Management of Drug
Misuse" in St James's Hospital on Saturday.

"There are now approximately 442 people on a waiting list for drug treatment
services, and it is imperative that we proceed with the establishment of
additional treatment locations," he said.

"We will do this as sensitively as possible and carry out as extensive local
consultation as possible, but not proceeding with the establishment of new
treatment locations is not an option.

"It is our policy to provide treatment for drug-misusers in their own
localities."

Mr McLoughlin said the board gives very careful consideration to the
concerns raised by local people and community groups when establishing new
treatment services.

"Chief among these concerns are local fears of loitering drug misusers and
an increase in nuisance and crime. The opposite is in fact the case. Our
experience is that properly organised and secured drug treatment clinics
pose no threat to anybody," he said.

The board is investing pounds 17.6 million this year on drug education,
prevention, treatment and rehabilitation. It acknowledges that one of the
greatest challenges facing it is the provision of services for
drug-misusers.

There are estimated to be about 10,000 heroin addicts in the greater Dublin
area, and there are smaller numbers of addicts in Wicklow and Kildare. Of
these, 4,000 are receiving drug treatment either through clinics or GPs.

Addressing delegates, the Minister of State for Health, Children and
Families, Mr Chris Flood, said he fully supported the health board's efforts
to treat addicts in their own locality.

He noted that GPs played a pivotal role in this process and paid tribute to
them for their contribution. Mr Flood added that information available on
drug misuse showed a worrying trend in relation to the increased
availability and use of a range of drugs. He said there appeared to be a
general acceptance by young people that most drug use, and recreational drug
use in particular, was not hazardous to health.

"The challenge in the years ahead for parents, educators and those working
with young people is to explode this myth and to develop strategies aimed at
creating a greater awareness of the issues around drug misuse and helping
young people to resist the temptation to turn to drug use as a way of coping
with life," he said.