Coolmine Therapeutic Community is a drug and alcohol treatment centre providing community, day, and residential services to men and women with problematic substance use in Ireland, and to their families. Established in 1973, Coolmine was founded on the philosophies of the therapeutic community approach to addiction treatment. This is primarily a self-help approach in which residents are responsible for their own recovery, with peers and staff acting as facilitators of change. Participants are expected to contribute to the general running of the community and to their own recovery by actively participating in educational activities and in group and individual therapy. At year end 2024, Coolmine had 15 facilities and 22 satellite clinics operational across Ireland (see Figure 1), and it provided treatment and recovery services to 3,293 individuals and their families. Programmes provided by Coolmine in 2024 are highlighted below.1

Contact, assessment, and stabilisation services

Contact, assessment, and stabilisation services offer individuals a supportive entry point into Coolmine’s primary treatment programmes. Working closely with national agencies such as the Ana Liffey Drug Project, Merchants Quay Ireland, HSE Southwest addiction services, and the Probation Service, Coolmine strives to ensure that everyone seeking help receives the necessary care and support. In 2023, Coolmine expanded its services in order to better reach Travellers, New Irish Community members, homeless clients, young people, and families. Services provided in 2024 included:

• national outreach and assessment for residential and community detox
• outreach and assessment in the Irish Prison Service
• assertive outreach for Travellers, New Irish Community members, and homeless persons
• satellite clinics in the Mid-West and South-West regions of Ireland
• drop-in services
• HSE Pharmacy Needle Exchange Programme
• groups stabilisation, programmes contingency management, and community case management.

Primary treatment services

Coolmine primary treatment services are built on the foundation of the therapeutic community model, which creates a safe and structured environment for healing and growth. Through educational activities, group and individual therapy, and a shared commitment to a drug-free life, clients are encouraged to make profound psychological and lifestyle changes. Services provided in 2024 included:

• residential methadone detoxification placements
• men’s residential service at Coolmine Lodge
• mother and child and women’s residential services at Ashleigh House and Westbourne House
• drug-free day programmes
• parents Under Pressure programme
• young Person’s Programme
• community reinforcement and case management.

Source: Coolmine annual report (2023)

Figure 1: Coolmine services in Ireland, 2024 

Recovery services

Coolmine recovery services are tailored to meet the unique needs of each individual, providing a range of supports that foster health, well-being, and long-term sobriety. Services provided in 2024 included:

• medical services
• health promotion
• housing support
• education and literacy support
• career guidance
• counselling/psychotherapy and psychiatric services
• positive social activities programmes.

The annual report noted that in 2024, Coolmine strengthened its commitment to delivering inclusive, high-quality, and responsive treatment and recovery services. This included a 60% increase in detoxification bed capacity and 7.5% rise in dual diagnosis placements. In 2024, Coolmine supported 1,396 women, which was an 11% increase compared with 2023. Coolmine also reinforced its long-standing commitment to supporting the Traveller community in 2024 through enhanced outreach and early intervention services, developed in partnership with the HSE. This expanded programme reflects Coolmine’s belief that recovery must be accessible, inclusive, and rooted in the lived experiences of marginalised communities.

In 2023, Coolmine began working closely with the Edenmore Drug Intervention Team (EDIT) and key stakeholders in order to sustain and enhance addiction services provided in Dublin 5. In 2024, the EDIT became part of the Coolmine family as Coolmine EDIT, a day service located centrally in Dublin 5 at Edenmore Shopping Centre. This service delivers a client-centred approach to recovery through structured case management and one-to-one counselling. In response to emerging community needs, Coolmine EDIT has expanded its evidence-based supports to include Parents Under Pressure groups, cocaine-specific groups, and community reinforcement approach programmes.

1         Coolmine (2025) Coolmine 2024 annual report. Dublin: Coolmine. Available from: https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/44421/