TENFOLD RISE IN CITY GPS GIVING METHADONE TO ADDICTS

The number of GPs prescribing methadone to heroin addicts in the Eastern
Health Board area has increased almost tenfold in the past three years.

Health board CEO Pat McLoughlin told a joint Dail Public Accounts Committee
meeting yesterday the number of doctors involved in providing the treatment
in its area has risen from 15 at the beginning of 1996 to 106.

And the number of pharmacists involved in distributing methadone increased
from 35 to 155 in the same period.

However, the treatment waiting list rose from 450 at the start of this year
to 600.

There are 3,738 people in all receiving methadone treatment mainly in Dublin
and the number of beds available to them is to be increased by 32 to 70 this
year.

Mr McLoughlin said: "The health board has a budget of over IEP17m for use on
drugs services. There will be a new 12-bed unit in Cherry Orchard and a
20-bed unit in St Mary's in Phoenix Park by the end of the year."

But public objection was an obstacle to the board in its efforts to set up
treatment clinics throughout the city, he pointed out.

"In some situations our plans were thwarted by members of the public. We had
enough money to establish all the centres we need if we got the co-operation
from the communities.

"Being rejected by An Bord Pleanala for the Tallaght centre, which had a lot
of community objection, meant we could not set up a clinic there: it was a
huge drawback."

Some people were not seeking help for family members because they feared
being targeted by vigilantes, he added.

* Chairman Jim Mitchell accused the national drug strategy team of "lack of
urgency" in allocating IEP30m to combat the problem.