Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

To follow on the drugs issue, part of the challenge is that the funding model that has been used in the past in relation to allocation of funds to drugs task forces clearly needs to be looked at. When the Minister was in, he said they would look at that. We have a situation where some drugs task forces are on less money now than they were a number of years ago. That is unacceptable, particularly in view of the challenge that communities are facing on it. Again, as part of the Minister looking at the Estimates that - I asked the question about the decrease - even if there is a slight increase, it would help. The challenge is huge out there and it should not be a case of someone who is looking for supports and needs medical supports and rehabilitation should be waiting for a long time to get that support.

Many of the drugs task forces had front-line services that worked through the pandemic. They dealt with those who were coming to them and tried to do it as safely as possible. They all talk in terms of resources that are needed for them to continue to support people who are very ill and need that support. It is not just the addict - it is the family. It is the impact it has not only on the family, but society as well. I suppose people are so scared about crack cocaine because it has the potential not only to destroy the individual, but also destroy the family and the community itself. If we can do anything at all, it is one area of society that certainly needs support and attention.