HSE drugs information policy criticised

INFORMATION on drug abuse should immediately be made available in a range of languages to cater for a growing immigrant population, Sinn Féin has said.

Responsibility for the production of health-related information transferred from the Department of Health to the Health Service Executive (HSE) last March.

The HSE has confirmed it is considering ways of making information available to persons whose first language is not English.

But Sinn Féin TD Sean Crowe yesterday criticised the pace at which the HSE was moving on the issue.

In a recent letter to Mr Crowe, HSE national drug strategy manager Cathal Morgan said the HSE was “about to embark on a consultation process in respect of the National Intercultural Strategy”.

But Mr Crowe questioned the need for a consultation process when the key issue had already been identified.

“While I welcome the HSE’s commitment to dealing with this issue, it seems to me that they are intent on doing things the long way. The recommendations that they seek are obvious — that this information should be provided in a range of languages to cater for Ireland’s multi-cultural society,” he said.

“There is no point in having a lengthy consultation process when the issue has already been identified and the answer to the problem is blindingly obvious.”