The unresolved issue of methadone dispensation to heroin addicts in Portlaoise is due to be discussed tonight by Midland Health Board officials and local pharmacists.
Not enough pharmacies are dispensing the heroin substitute to the 50 or so addicts in the town, it is understood.
Dr Patrick Doorley, director of public health and planning at the health board, said "a problem has arisen recently because we have insufficient pharmacy input into the methadone services.
"As a result of the lack of pharmacy input to dispense methadone, there is now a waiting list of 12 people," he said. There are already 10 addicts receiving methadone in the town, according to 2001 figures.
Local pharmacists did not comment, beyond saying the meeting would be taking place tonight. However, discussions are likely to include concerns about security.
Mr Richard Collis, vice-president of the Irish Pharmaceutical Union, said many pharmacies outside Dublin do "not really have drug culture experience". The health board, he said, will, therefore, need to reassure pharmacies security will be looked after, especially as many chemists are staffed by young women.
Providing a methadone dispensation service, said Mr Collis, does not often "run in tandem in terms of what is regarded as good business practice in other retail outlets". But it is part of the pharmacists' primary-care service obligations, he said.
One pharmacist in Portlaoise has been dispensing methadone, it is understood, but Mr Collis said this is inadequate for the estimated 50 heroin addicts in the town. The town has an overall population of about 9,500.
Dr Doorley said the board has been doing everything possible to resolve the matter. Concerns were expressed at its recent meeting about the level of heroin abuse and associated crimes in Portlaoise, which had attracted local and national media attention.
Judge Mary Martin recently told Portlaoise District Court: "What worries me the most is the amount of young people on heroin. There are no treatment centres, no support systems, no probation officers and no social workers in Portlaoise. There are not enough gardaí in the town."
The health board said it set up a clinic just over two years ago for heroin addicts. The service includes counselling, methadone replacement therapy, testing for blood-borne diseases such as hepatitis B, and HIV.
In a statement it said that "while the immediate problem is one of pharmacy input, the board needs more funding to provide this service. The allocation to the board for 2002 has not been adequate to meet the need for this service."
It has asked the Department of Health for additional funding and is awaiting a response.
"In the meantime, we have been notified of an allocation of €50,000 to recruit staff in order to proceed with the establishment of the regional drugs task forces," said the statement.
These task forces, which are being established in all the health board areas, will bring together all the State agencies involved in the field of drug misuse, as well as the voluntary and community sectors. Their brief will be to agree a comprehensive plan for tackling drug misuse in their regions.