Sinn Féin spokesperson for Addiction, Recovery and Wellbeing, Thomas Gould TD, has today slammed to government for ‘forgetting’ to include addiction services in this year’s Budget book.

Teachta Gould said:

“When I opened the Budget book yesterday, I couldn’t believe my eyes. I checked and I rechecked but not once, not anywhere, is the allocation for addiction outlined.

“In the year that the Citizen’s Assembly on Drugs reported with recommendation after recommendation calling for increased funding and priority for addiction, this government forgot to include any real reference in the Budget book.

“This is the first time this has happened since I was elected but it is not the first time that this government have forgotten those working in, and benefiting from, addiction services.

“Time after time – from Section 39 pay increases to a failure to restore Taskforce funding to leaving Keltoi closed for years on end, those in addiction, those who love them and those who know them are forgotten by Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil.

“This is not just about the individuals – it is about our communities, our families and our futures. It is about investing in recovery and tackling addiction.

“When the government did finally announce their budget package on addiction it was a paltry €4.2m. Over half of this was money previously announced in Budget 2024 leaving only €2 million in new measures. The funding for community alcohol initiatives are welcome but we need Minister Burke to commit that this will not go to competitive tendering.

“This state has the highest drug death per population in Europe. Yet, drug addiction services are getting less than half of what the government allocated to provide pouches for phones in schools.

“Trauma and addiction go hand in hand. There are young people in our schools right now who have a parent in addiction or are struggling with addiction themselves. These children are traumatised and teachers, who are often juggling the competing needs of overcrowded classes, are not able to provide them with the support they need alone. Sinn Féin would develop a scheme whereby drugs counsellors were available to schools and students. For some students, school is their safe place from the trauma of the outside world. We would provide funding to reach them where they feel safest and try to support them. Instead, under Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil they’ll be given a pouch for their phone.

“I want to send a clear message to those working in the addictions sector today. I know you are hurt by this budget allocation, I know it is an insult. I stand with you in calling this out and I will continue to stand up for you. A Sinn Féin government would listen, we would work to understand and we would invest.

“Sinn Féin would invest over €35 million aimed at properly transforming our addiction sector, resourcing the community addiction sector and actually beginning to recover our communities, our families and our people.”