Figures for the number of people receiving treatment for problem drug use in Ireland are collated by the National Drug Treatment Reporting System, managed by the Health Research Board.

The National Drug Treatment Reporting System (NDTRS) is an epidemiological database on treated drug and alcohol misuse in Ireland. It was established in 1990 in the Greater Dublin area and was extended in 1995 to cover all areas of the country. The reporting system is in accordance with the European Monitoring Centre for Drug and Drug Addiction's Treatment Demand Indicator Protocol.

From 2004, clients who reported alcohol as their main problem drug are included in this reporting system.

The most recent publication, Trends in treated problem drug use in Ireland, 1998 to 2002, presents an analysis of data reported to the NDTRS, in relation to person (eg age, gender), Health Service Executive (HSE) region and year.

The findings include the following:

• There were 35,683 cases of problem drug use treated in Ireland between 1998 and 2000, with 9,415 (26%) receiving treatment for the first time.
• The total number of cases treated increased from 6,048 in 1998 to 8,596 in 2002, with an increase of 29% in new cases.
• The majority of those treated for problem drug use were male: 70% in 1998 and 71% in 2002.
• Opiates were the most frequently reported main problem drug. Cannabis was the second most common main problem drug.
• The proportion of people treated who reported problems with more than one drug increased by 5%, from 71% in 1998 to 76% in 2002.
• Injecting drug use was associated with opiates and, to a lesser extent, amphetamines and cocaine.
• Almost 18% of all new cases treated were under 18 years of age.

Reference

1. Long J, Lynn, E, Kelly F. Occasional Paper No. 17. Trends in treated problem drug use in Ireland, 1998 to 2002). Dublin: Health Research Board, 2005.