Deputy Thomas Gould: One of the most obvious areas in need of public service modernisation and reform is the addiction sector. We have seen significant recent shifts in addiction treatment presentations and in deaths. Alongside this, we have seen staff in section 29 services fighting for fair pay and conditions. The reality is that many of these staff raised concerns about the changing drug trends two years ago but, rather than being taken on board, their concerns were mostly ignored.

Without modernisation and reform, the addiction sector will remain on the back foot, with some of the highest level of staff burnout of any health or social care professionals. We have the expertise. We have an extremely competent workforce but we need to pay the workers and we need to treat them fairly. Sinn Féin members believe that alongside engagement with the section 39 workers, we need to look at professional supervision to try to ease the staff burnout. We need to ensure that staff members feel valued and that their expertise is recognised. I am sure the Taoiseach has visited addiction services like myself. He has seen the phenomenal work that is done by the staff day in, day out. With empathy and compassion, they help to reduce the harm and to bring people on recovery journeys. Without proper reform, we are leaving the staff, those people who do the work on the ground with individuals, families, and communities, without the support they need. While we have a citizens' assembly, and it does great work on policy matters, there is a role for the Taoiseach's Department to explore how we listen to and bring forward recommendations from the citizens' assembly. I hope the Taoiseach takes this on board.

…The Taoiseach: I thank the Deputies. On the addiction sector and services raised by Deputy Gould, I am very familiar with these as well. I have often visited the Coolmine Therapeutic Community which is based in Blanchardstown but now has facilities in other parts of the country as well. I am very aware of the work it does. It is work that can really turn people's lives around. I have had interest in the area for a long time, going back to my time as a practising doctor. Responsibility for it does not fall under my remit; nor does the citizens' assembly. I might ask the Minister of State at the Department for Health, Deputy Naughton, to write to the Deputy to get some more information on what is being done in terms of increasing funding and capacity within the sector.

Vol. 1040 No. 6