Fianna Fáil: Emphasis must be on becoming drug-free

One out of three heroin addicts on methadone treatment have been on the substitute drug for more than 10 years, figures released yesterday show.

Fianna Fáil said that while “seriously high levels” of funding is spent on methadone maintenance there is “little or no emphasis” on recovery and becoming drug-free.

Launching its Drugs Action Plan yesterday, Fianna Fáil said the drugs issue had slipped off the Government’s agenda — an accusation also made by community drug organisations.