Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank our witnesses for their presentations and the work they are doing on the ground. It is a difficult area. As was set out clearly, it is not just one problem. A whole host of other problems exist concerning support for families, and especially where young families are involved. Turning to look at this issue in the context of funding, my understanding is that €29 million has been allocated for the drug and alcohol task forces and that there are 24 individual task force groups. The question is how that funding is used. Do we have an idea of the breakdown of how that €29 million is allocated? The witnesses have highlighted that funding for their organisations has been reduced rather than increased because they have a greater workload. Do the witnesses have a breakdown of how the funding is used? Where can improvements be made? As well as ensuring that additional funding can be allocated in the coming year, this issue also involves ensuring that the funding is then used appropriately.