Deputy Marie Sherlock: Ireland has one of the highest numbers of drug-induced deaths in Europe. We desperately need more services to save lives. Yesterday, the Health Research Board published numbers showing 128 people died while homeless in 2021. The overwhelming majority, almost 86%, had a history of substance misuse. There were 128 lives cut short way too early and, for the most part, that could have been prevented. The State, to its credit, spent almost €36 million building a 100-bed treatment and recovery unit in Usher Island in Dublin 8 to be run by the Dublin Simon Community. It is one of its kind in Europe. However, as of today, only 51 of those beds are available for use, while of those beds are sitting empty, all because the Department of Health has yet to provide funding which was committed to back in 2019. These are vital beds for stabilisation, recovery and step-down. They are beds that will save lives.

Where is the money to open these beds? Will the Taoiseach stand over a situation where the State has provided capital investment that is not being put to use? Will he commit to doing much more for drug treatment services in this country?

The Taoiseach: My understanding is the Department, together with the HSE, will provide a total of €6.53 million to meet the full operational costs of the 51 beds in the new facility in 2025. I will follow up again with the HSE and the Department to confirm, but that is what I am being told.

Deputy Marie Sherlock: Well, there are 100 beds.

Micheál Martin, The Taoiseach: Further resources will be available to expand the capacity of the new facility on an incremental basis in 2025, subject to an agreed business plan between the HSE and the Dublin Simon Community. The Deputy is correct that it is a very significant development. The Government has already provided €35 million to construct the facility. That provides for the 51 beds that were, up to now, in temporary locations. These include step-up and step-down beds for acute services and inpatient treatment beds for drug stabilisation, detoxification and recovery. Up to 700 treatment episodes-----

Deputy Marie Sherlock: Taoiseach-----

An Ceann Comhairle: The Deputy can go back to the Taoiseach if she is not happy.

The Taoiseach: -----per year across four clinical programmes can be provided. Approximately €6.5 million will meet the full costs. I will get the Department to come back to the Deputy on that.