News (Media Awareness Project) - Ireland: EHB Plans To Open Five Centres For Addicts |
| Title: | Ireland: EHB Plans To Open Five Centres For Addicts |
| Published On: | 1999-09-01 |
| Source: | Irish Times (Ireland) |
| Fetched On: | 2008-09-05 21:34:15 |
EHB PLANS TO OPEN FIVE CENTRES FOR ADDICTS
The Eastern Health Board plans to open five new addiction centres
before the end of the year, but is awaiting planning permission and
community acceptance for some of the centres.
Addiction centres dispense methadone and provide educational, medical
and counselling services for addicts and their families. The new
centres are part of an overall plan by the health board to expand the
number of facilities for drug addicts. In St Mary's Hospital, Phoenix
Park, a 20-bed unit is being developed which will provide care for
addicts after detoxification. Thirty detoxification places and
additional rehabilitation places are to be provided at a centre in
North Fredrick Street. A Drugs Task Force is being planned for the
Bray area by the Minister for State, Mr Chris Flood.
Approximately 4,000 people from Dublin, Kildare and Wicklow are
currently receiving drugtreatment from the health board clinics or
through the 111 general practitioners and 149 pharmacies providing
methadone treatment. There is a waiting list of 442 people for drug
treatment services. The overall figure for people addicted to drugs is
estimated to be over 13,000.
Ms Maureen Browne, communications director of the Eastern Health
Board, says the board hopes to attract people who are not on waiting
lists with new facilities and services.
The Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue, is assessing a report
compiled by the Drugs Court Planning Committee. The committee examined
court supervised treatment programmes as an alternative to custodial
sentences. The committee also assessed the cost of a drugs court and
considered the reallocation of resources from other programmes,
including those in the criminal justice area.
It is hoped that a pilot drugs court will be set up in the district
court in Dublin in the coming months. Mr Tony Gregory TD said he would
welcome the setting up of a drugs court but said it required proper
resources. "There urgently needs to be a radical pull on resources
before the drugs court is set up," he said.
The Eastern Health Board plans to open five new addiction centres
before the end of the year, but is awaiting planning permission and
community acceptance for some of the centres.
Addiction centres dispense methadone and provide educational, medical
and counselling services for addicts and their families. The new
centres are part of an overall plan by the health board to expand the
number of facilities for drug addicts. In St Mary's Hospital, Phoenix
Park, a 20-bed unit is being developed which will provide care for
addicts after detoxification. Thirty detoxification places and
additional rehabilitation places are to be provided at a centre in
North Fredrick Street. A Drugs Task Force is being planned for the
Bray area by the Minister for State, Mr Chris Flood.
Approximately 4,000 people from Dublin, Kildare and Wicklow are
currently receiving drugtreatment from the health board clinics or
through the 111 general practitioners and 149 pharmacies providing
methadone treatment. There is a waiting list of 442 people for drug
treatment services. The overall figure for people addicted to drugs is
estimated to be over 13,000.
Ms Maureen Browne, communications director of the Eastern Health
Board, says the board hopes to attract people who are not on waiting
lists with new facilities and services.
The Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue, is assessing a report
compiled by the Drugs Court Planning Committee. The committee examined
court supervised treatment programmes as an alternative to custodial
sentences. The committee also assessed the cost of a drugs court and
considered the reallocation of resources from other programmes,
including those in the criminal justice area.
It is hoped that a pilot drugs court will be set up in the district
court in Dublin in the coming months. Mr Tony Gregory TD said he would
welcome the setting up of a drugs court but said it required proper
resources. "There urgently needs to be a radical pull on resources
before the drugs court is set up," he said.
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